[Creatine-kinase MM in the perinatal period]. / Die Creatin-Kinase MM in der Perinatalperiode.

One hundred eight newborns (gestational age 36 + 1.8 weeks and birth weight 2860 +/- 240 g) had muscle type Creatine-Kinase activity (CK-MM) assayed immediately after birth (CK-I) and serially at 6-10 h (CK-II), 20-30 h (CK-III) and 40-60 h (CK-IV) of age. Using statistical Regression analysis, CK-MM levels were correlated to four perinatal parameters: gestational age, birth weight, neonatal acidosis (pH less than 7.15), mode of delivery (vaginal/cesarean section). It was observed that CK-MM activity was dependent on gestational age and correlated to the mode of delivery at time III (600 U/l) and IV (400 U/l) comparing the mean serum values of 156 + 44 U/l observed in atraumatic delivery (p less than or equal to 0.05). Our results demonstrate markedly higher levels of CK-MM following vaginal delivery especially if complicated by forceps, vacuum and breech presentation, suggesting that birth trauma may be responsible for this phenomenon.

Umbilical cord serum creatine kinase BB in the diagnosis of brain damage in the newborn: problems in interpretation.

Raised values of creatine kinase BB (CKBB) in umbilical cord serum were obtained with some normal babies and those with fetal distress. Further investigation showed that the umbilical artery and vein tissue contain high CKBB activity, indicating that some cord blood samples may not solely reflect CKBB liberated from the brain.