Immunohistochemical detection of C5b-9(m) in myocardium: an aid in distinguishing infarction-induced ischemic heart muscle necrosis from other forms of lethal myocardial injury.

Immunohistochemical detection of C5b-9(m) is a reliable marker of very early cell necroses due to myocardial infarction. However, it is conceivable that it is also present in myocardial cell necroses caused by other types of hypoxic injury or by direct external trauma. If so, this would greatly limit the diagnostic value of C5b-9(m) in forensic practice. To clarify this issue, we performed immunohistological staining for C5b-9(m) in myocardium of 67 cases of 'direct' or possible 'indirect' myocardial injury not due to infarction.