Effects of hyaluronidase administration on myocardial ischemic injury in acute infarction. A preliminary study in 24 patients.

The effect of hyaluronidase on myocardial ischemic injury was examined in 13 patients with acute myocardial infarction, and the results were compared with 11 patients who did not receive hyaluronidase. A 35-electrode precordial mapping method was used to assess the rate of resolution of ST segment elevations. In the 11 control patients, the sum of ST segment elevations (sigmaST) fell after 2 hours to an average of 93.5% plus or minus 17.3% (SEM) and after 24 hours to 89.6% plus or minus 7.6% of the initial values, while the number of electrodes exhibiting ST segment elevations exceeding 0.1 mV (NST) fell to 98.0% plus or minus 12.3% and 94.3% plus or minus 10.4% of the initial values respectively. In the hyaluronidase-treated group, at the same time sigmaST fell significantly more (P less than 0.05), to 54.1% plus or minus 5.0% and 51.3% plus or minus 11.8% and NST was also more markedly reduced (P less than 0.05) to 50.7% plus or minus 7.8% and 50.1% plus or minus 12.4%, thus indicating that hyaluronidase can accelerate the reduction of myocardial ischemic injury in patients with acute myocardial infarction.