Creatine Kinase (CK)
From Health Facts
Latest Edit: Hector 2014-03-24 (EDT)
| See Also | Lab Tests |
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This test is used to detect myocardial muscle injury or infarction. It can also useful in detecting neurologic or skeletal muscle diseases.[1], [2]
Discussion
- CK is predominantly found in the heart muscle, skeletal muscle, and brain.
- Serum CK levels are found to be elevated when these muscle or nerve cells are injured and rise within 6 hours after damage.
- Three CK isoenzymes that are used specifically for myocardial muscle injury are CK-BB (CK1), CK-MB (CK2), and CK-MM (CK3); the CK-BB isoenzyme is found predominantly in the brain and lung, causing elevated levels of the isoenzyme with injury to any of these organs. The CK-MB isoenzyme portion are specific for myocardial cells and is helpful in quantifying both the degree of mycardial infarction (MI) and timing the onset of infarction. The CK-MM isoenzyme is composed of almost all of the circulatory total CK enzymes in healthy people.
Patient Preparation
- No food or fluid restrictions are required.
- Factors which can cause increased levels:
- IM injections, strenuous exercise, recent surgery
- Factors which can cause decreased levels:
- Early pregnancy
Clinical Implications
High levels indicate:
- For total CK:
- diseases or injury affecting the heart muscle, skeletal muscle, and brain
- For CK-BB isoenzyme:
- Diseases that affect the central nervous system (CNS)
- Electroconvulsive therapy
- Adenocarcinoma (especially breast and lung)
- Pulmonary infarction
- For CK-MB isoenzyme:
- AMI
- Cardiac aneurysm surgery
- Cardiac defibrillation
- Myocarditis
- Ventricular arrhythmias
- Cardiac ischemia
- For CK-MM isoenzyme:
- Rhabdomyolysis
- Muscular dystrophy
- Myotis
- Recent surgery
- Electromyography
- IM injections
- Trauma
- Crush injuries
- Delirium tremens
- Malignant hyperthermia
- Recent convulsions
- Electroconvulsive therapy
- Shock
- Hypokalemia
- Hypothyroidism
Associated Tests
- Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), Alkaline phosphatase, 5'-nucleotidase, troponins
References
- ↑ Pagana Kathleen D, Pagana Timothy J (2006) Mosby's Manual of Diagnostic and Laboratory Tests, Mosby.
- ↑ Weatherby Dicken, Ferguson Scott (2002) Blood Chemistry and CBC Analysis: Clinical Laboratory Testing from a Functional Perspective, Bear Mountain.
