What laboratory values/blood counts indicate myocarditis? | How can heart muscle inflammation be detected?

What laboratory values/blood counts indicate myocarditis?

The most important laboratory values for heart muscle inflammation are the so-called heart markers. These are enzymes that are normally only found in heart muscle cells. If these cells are destroyed, the enzymes enter the blood.

Therefore, they can only be detected in the laboratory if there is a heart problem. Typically, the CK-MB and troponin are examined here. Furthermore, the triggering pathogen can also be found in the blood.

Mostly viruses are the cause of myocarditis, but an infection with bacteria is also possible. Since the disease is usually caused by a cold or flu, the general inflammation levels in the body are also increased, especially the CRP. CRP is an abbreviation for C-reactive protein.

It is a protein that is released in response to inflammation and infection in the body. On the one hand, heart muscle inflammation is characterized by local inflammation of the heart muscle cells, and on the other hand, the disease is accompanied, at least initially, by an infection that generally increases the inflammation levels. Therefore, it is not possible to diagnose myocarditis solely on the basis of an increase in CRP.

On the other hand, a high CRP value may well be an indication of myocardial inflammation. What you might also find interesting on this topic: Inflammation values in bloodCK MB stands for “creatine kinase muscle brain“. This is an enzyme that is found exclusively in heart muscle cells.If these muscle cells are destroyed, for example by heart muscle inflammation, the creatine kinase enters the bloodstream where it can be measured.

However, an increase in the CK-MB level does not necessarily indicate heart muscle inflammation. Other causes can be a heart attack or increased stress on the heart muscles. Troponin T and I are usually mentioned together with the heart-specific enzymes, but they are actually structural proteins.

They are therefore protein chains that belong to the structural part of the heart muscles. They have their function in the contractile (contracting) area of the heart muscle cells and are primarily responsible for converting electrical signals from the excitation conduction system into a mechanical contraction of the muscle cells. Troponin T and I are found exclusively in the heart and therefore specifically indicate damage to the heart muscles. If the cells and with them the surrounding structures are damaged by a disease, their components enter the bloodstream where they can be determined.