PRIMARY IDIOPATHIC MYOGLOBINURIA IN A NEGRO FEMALE: ITS IMPLICATIONS AND A NEW METHOD OF LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS

Abstract

The problem of the diagnosis of primary myoglobinuria in a 24 year old colored female is presented. Discussion of the inadequacy of the spectrophotometer and ultracentrifuge is given. A new, better, and less complicated procedure using paper electrophoresis is described as follows: One part of a benzidine-positive urine is added to two parts of human serum. The mixture is separated by paper electrophoresis and stained with a hydrogen peroxide-benzidine spray. The serum proteins prevent adsorption of myoglobin or hemoglobin but do not stain. Human myoglobin migrates only half the distance of hemoglobin, thus easy differentiation is possible. Early in the disease myoglobin can also be detected in the serum by this procedure. The frequency of renal complication in primary myoglobinuria is discussed and emphasized. Speculation regarding the etiology of primary myoglobinuria is reviewed and it is suggested that genes and deficient enzymes may be involved in this disease.