Changes in Serum Creatine Kinase Isoenzyme Activities after Surgical Procedures and Cardioversion

Abstract

Serum activities of creatine kinase (CK) and its isoenzymes were monitored before and 16 to 20 hours after a variety of surgical procedures and cardioversion. Changes in total CK and CK MM activities in the surgical patients were consistent with the extent of trauma; changes in these activities in the cardioversion patients were more variable, ranging from —2 to 1829 U/l, and were unrelated to the applied electrical force. CK MB activity was unchanged after cystoscopy but rose moderately in 60 % of patients after cholecystectomy, in 43 % of patients requiring only implantation of a new pacemaker box, and in 87 % of patients after implantation of an entire pacemaker system. No increase exceeded 6U/l. Fifty per cent of patients requiring cardioversion showed rises; the maximum value was 40·9 U/l.