Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
What high creatine-kinase levels mean for sick cats
By Aroch, Itamar et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2010·Koret School of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Diagnostic and prognostic value of serum creatine-kinase activity in ill cats: a retrospective study of 601 cases.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 601 sick cats was examined for high levels of a muscle enzyme called creatine-kinase (CK), which can indicate muscle damage. About 60% of these cats had increased CK levels, and they often showed serious symptoms like difficulty breathing, collapse, and shock. Cats with high CK levels were more likely to have conditions such as heart disease, trauma, or infections, and they tended to stay in the hospital longer and had higher treatment costs. However, the level of CK was not a reliable predictor of recovery or survival.
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Abstract
In veterinary medicine, serum creatine-kinase (CK) activity is mostly used to assess skeletal muscle damage. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of increased CK activity in a large, ill-cat population and to characterise associated diseases, clinical and laboratory findings and its prognostic value. Cats with a complete serum biochemistry analysis were consecutively enrolled, divided into two CK activity-based groups (within and above reference interval) and compared. The study included 601 cats. Median serum CK was 402 U/l (range 16-506870). Increased CK (>250 U/l) was observed in 364 (60%) cats, and>30-fold its upper reference limit in 43 (7%). Cats with increased CK had greater (P < or = 0.05) body weight, and were more likely to have a history of collapse, dyspnoea, abnormal lung sounds, cyanosis, shock and paraplegia, higher median serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase activities and total bilirubin and triglyceride concentrations, but lower, median total protein, albumin, globulin and cholesterol concentrations and proportion of anorexia than cats with normal CK. Cardiac diseases, trauma, bite wounds, systemic bacterial infections, prior anaesthesia and intramuscular injections were more common (P < or = 0.05) in cats with increased compared to normal CK activity. The hospitalisation period was longer (P=0.007) and treatment cost and mortality were higher (P<0.005) in cats with increased CK activity. However, CK activity was an inaccurate outcome predictor (area under the receiver operator characteristics curve 0.58). Increased CK activity is very common in ill cats.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20236849/