Failure of creatine kinase to predict ectopic pregnancy

Objective: To investigate serum creatine kinase (CK) levels in pregnant women with ectopic pregnancy (EP), spontaneous abortion, and normal pregnancy with comparable serum hCG concentrations. Design: A retrospective, case-controlled study. Setting: Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. Patients: Forty-four patients with a suspicion of EP of which 15 had laparoscopically confirmed tubal pregnancies; 15 had a spontaneous abortion, a blighted ovum, or a missed abortion; and 14 patients a normal intrauterine pregnancy. Interventions: The diagnosis was made by transvaginal sonography and serum hCG determinations either at admission or after repeated examinations. Ectopic pregnancy was confirmed and treated by laparoscopy. Main Outcome Measures: Serum CK and hCG levels. Results: No significant differences in CK levels were observed between the groups by one-way analysis of variance and no correlation was found between serum CK and hCG levels within any group. Conclusions: Creatine kinase does not appear to be useful in the diagnosis of early EP.