Detection of C-9 as a Marker of Early Myocardial Infarction in Sudden Death Cases by Immunohistochemistry

Abstract

Background: Autopsy changes in sudden cardiac death due to Acute Myocardial Infarction (MI), is a real challenge
for Forensic Pathologist. Immuno-histochemistry has proved significant role in identifying myocardial necrosis.
Aim: To find the incidence of deaths due to myocardial ischemia, its changes among the postmortem cases and the
role of C9 in identifying deaths due to myocardial infarction by immuno-histochemical staining methods among
autopsy cases.
Materials and Methods: Study was conducted on 44 autopsy cases. Multiple tissue samples were collected from
the heart and other organs, tissue processing and paraffin blocks were made and Hemotoxylin and Eosin (H&E)
staining and immuno-histochemical expression was performed for C 9 marker to find out the myocardial necrosis.
Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS-20) as descriptive statistics.
Result: Common age group was 51-60 years. 75% of them were found to have co morbid conditions. Histopathology
for C9 showed 66% to be positive.
Conclusion: Complement C9 factor was used as a reliable marker for identification of early MI in cases which do
not show significant histopathological changes with haemotoxylin and Eosin stains.