Prognostic significance of an elevated creatine kinase in the absence of an elevated troponin I during an acute coronary syndrome.

In patients with troponin-negative acute coronary syndromes, creatine kinase (CK)-MB elevation predicts a significantly higher risk of death and major acute cardiac events compared with CK-MB negative patients. This risk is accentuated in troponin-negative, CK-MB positive patients who do not demonstrate ST elevation by electrocardiogram.