title: Maternal serum creatine kinase does not predict tubal pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our purpose was to validate prospectively the predictive value of maternal serum creatine kinase in the evaluation of ectopic pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-one consecutive pregnant first-trimester patients who presented for suspected abnormal pregnancy were enrolled. Maternal serum samples were obtained and assayed for creatine kinase. Patients were subsequently evaluated for abnormal pregnancy by serial quantitative hCG levels, transvaginal ultrasonography, and surgery when appropriate. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was generated comparing intrauterine to extrauterine (ectopic) pregnancy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 51 patients, 18 had an ectopic pregnancy, 16 had a spontaneous abortion, and 17 had an ongoing intrauterine pregnancy. The ROC curve revealed that maternal serum creatine kinase had no ability to predict ectopic pregnancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal serum creatine kinase is not a reliable predictor of tubal pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, USA.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Lincoln
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Dockery
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Rock
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Cowan
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D003402:Creatine Kinase