Myohaemoglobin in the urine of air raid casualties with crushing injury

Abstract

Urine from 7 patients crushed and bruised beneath bombed houses contained myo-Hb; this was identified spectroscopically by comparison with an extract of myo-Hb made from perfused human sartorius muscle. In one case the pigment was estimated by spectro-photometry; a total of 3-3.5 g. was excreted. Ultrafiltration and ultracentrifugation confirmed the finding of myo-Hb, utilizing the 4-fold difference in molecular size between Hb and that pigment. The plasma showed no such pigment. Pigmented casts in kidney sections were identified as haem compounds by the benzidine test, and spectroscopically by the formation of pyridine hemochromogen. The factors involved in this type of renal failure are discussed.