High breath pentane concentrations during acute myocardial infarction

To investigate whether reperfusion after myocardial ischaemia leads to free-radical-mediated peroxidation of membrane lipids and cell damage, we measured pentane, a product of lipid peroxidation, in the breath of 10 healthy control subjects and in 20 consecutive patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction. 10 of these patients showed no myocardial damage on electrocardiography (patient control group) and 10 satisfied standard diagnostic criteria for acute myocardial infarction. The three groups were wellmatched for age, sex, underlying disase, and smoking habits. The time from onset of chest pain to breath collection was similar in the patients control and acute myocardial infarction was higher (p