Objective: Sialic acid, known as a risk factor for coronary heart disease is also elevated in serum after myocardial infarction. Because acute myocardial infarction generally develops on the basis of atherosclerotic heart disease, the effect of experimental myocardial infarction in which a possible sialic acid elevation resulted from atherosclerosis is eliminated, on serum total and lipid-bound sialic acid levels was investigated in this study.

Material and Methods: Myocardial infarction was produced in male albino rats of Wistar strain with 150 mg/kg of isoproterenol (ISO) administered intraperitoneally twice at an interval of 24h. Existence of experimental infarction was confirmed by histopathological changes and the elevation of troponin I and creatine kinase-MB. Th e levels of serum total and lipid-bound sialic acid were determined by the methods of Warren and Katopodis, respectively.

Results: Isoproterenol treatment caused a significant elevation in serum troponin I and creatine kinase-MB levels of rats. Serum total (p=0.000) and lipid-bound sialic acid (p=0.000) levels were also significantly elevated post-infarction. However, there was no significant correlation between total or lipid-bound sialic acid and cardiac injury markers.

Conclusion: Myocardial infarction induced by isoproterenol causes an elevation in serum total and lipid-bound sialic acid levels by a mechanism independent from the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.