title: Asymptomatic hyperCKemia during a two-year monitoring period: A case report and literature overview.
abstract: High creatine kinase (CK) levels can be associated with many disorders, including neuromuscular, cardiac, metabolic, endocrine and traumatic. Idiopathic hyperCKemia is a diagnostic dilemma for physicians even though its long-term prognosis is usually benign. We report a case of a Caucasian 61-year-old woman who presented as completely asymptomatic to her general practitioner with a serum CK (sCK) level at 6,122 IU/l. A complete diagnostic evaluation, including physical and laboratory examinations, electromyogram and muscle biopsy were negative for any neuromuscular or other disorder. Two years later the patient remains asymptomatic, active and overall healthy but sCK levels remain elevated, ≤6,591 IU/l (>50-fold higher than normal values).
authors.affiliation: Primary Health Care Unit of Alonakia, Kozani 50100, Greece; Hippocrates, Association of General Practice/Family Medicine of Greece, Athens 11525, Greece.
authors.forename: Spyridon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klinis
authors.affiliation: New Mihaniona Primary Health Center, Thessaloniki 57004, Greece; Hippocrates, Association of General Practice/Family Medicine of Greece, Athens 11525, Greece.
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Symeonidis
authors.affiliation: Hippocrates, Association of General Practice/Family Medicine of Greece, Athens 11525, Greece; New Madytos Primary Health Center, Thessaloniki 57014, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Karanasios
authors.affiliation: Private Family Practice Unit in Heraklion, Heraklion 71304, Greece.
authors.forename: Emmanouil K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Symvoulakis
keywords: asymptomatic; creatine kinase levels; diagnostic dilemma; monitoring