Detection of alcoholic cardiomyopathy by serum enzyme and isoenzyme determination.

Serum creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes were studied in 73 patients with alcoholism, including two patients with clinical alcoholic cardiomyopathy and 28 patients with haemodynamic evidence (systolic time interval abnormality) of disordered myocardial function. No isoenzyme abnormalities suggestive of myocardial injury were observed. We conclude that isoenzyme examination is unsuitable for the early detection of myocardial damage from alcohol.