Abstract
A simplified method for separating myocardial LDH from liver LDH is described. Using the method of Wacker, et al., aliquots of serum are measured for LDH activity at 25[degree]C before and after incubation at 60[degree]C for 60 min. Myocardial LDH is heat stable while liver LDH is heat labile. After heating, patients with myocardial in-farcts show LDH activity exceeding 57% of the upper limit of normal. If these same patients had high total LDH and heat stable LDH exceeding 85% of the total, then the prognosis was grave. Although patients with infectious hepatitis demonstrate less than 20% of the LDH activity remaining after heating, it is felt the principal use of this test is in the diagnosis of myocardial infarctions.

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