title: Creatine kinase values in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: Serum creatine kinase (CK1) values were recorded while or soon after the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was established in 140 of 217 (65%) consecutive patients seen in the Motor Neuron Disease Clinic at this center during a 5-year period. Second creatine kinase (CK2) determinations were recorded on 48 of 140 (34%) ALS patients later in the course of the disease. The mean CK1 and CK2 values (unit, times the upper limit of normal) were 1.22 (range, 0.1 to 3.0; median, 0.80) and 1.34 (range, 0.1-9.2; median, 0.80) (P=0.11, r=0.92, mean difference=28.2%). Of the 140 ALS patients, 58 (41%) (male:female ratio: 2.9:1.0) had elevated CK1 values ranging from 1.03 to 13.0 (mean, 2.21; median, 1.67). Twelve patients (8.6%) had CK1 values greater than 3.0. Mean CK1 values were significantly greater (P=0.001) in male (mean, 1.56) versus female (mean, 0.80) ALS patients, and significantly greater (P=0.009) in limb-onset (mean, 1.34) versus bulbar-onset (mean, 0.80) disease. CK1 values correlated poorly with and were not predictive of age of onset or survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington 06030, USA. felice@nso.uchc.edu
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Felice
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: North
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014139:Tracheostomy
chemical_list: D003402:Creatine Kinase