CHANGES IN SERUM CREATINE-KINASE ISOENZYME ACTIVITIES AFTER SURGICAL-PROCEDURES AND CARDIOVERSION

Serum activities of creatine kinase (CK) and its isoenzymes were monitored before and 16 to 20 hours after a varity 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 6 U/l. Fifty per cent of patients requiring cardioversion showed rises; the maximum valve was 40.9 U/l.