The determination of Ck, LDH and its isoenzymes in pericardial fluid and its application to the post-mortem diagnosis of myocardial infarction.

After having studied 144 pericardial fluids, from the same number of judicial corpses, we propose the measurement of CK for the postmortem diagnosis of myocardial infarction, since it is a reliable, exact and easy technique available to an ordinary laboratory. Providing that contaminated samples be disregarded, the fluids are centrifuged early, and the cadavers be under 48 hours old, the study of CK enzymatic levels in the pericardial fluid allows the postmortem differentiation of myocardial infarction from other causes of death.