Serum creatine kinase isoenzymes and macroenzymes in dogs with different neurologic diseases.

BACKGROUND

Increased serum activity of CK isoenzymes and macroenzymes, and in particular of the brain isoenzyme (CK-BB) has been reported in dogs with central nervous system (CNS) disorders. However, no studies on the possible differences in serum activities of CK iso- or macroenzymes (Macro-CK1 and Macro-CK2) in different neurologic diseases are available.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to describe the electrophoretic distribution of CK iso- and macroenzymes in dogs with CNS disorders in order to assess whether this distribution depends on a specific neurologic disease.

METHODS

This study was done on sera from 45 dogs with neurologic diseases (degenerative, n = 7; idiopathic epilepsy [IE], n = 14; inflammatory, n = 16; space occupying lesions [SOL], n = 8) and from 10 clinically healthy dogs. The separation of serum CK isoenzymes and macroenzymes was performed using an automated electrophoretic method already validated in dogs.

RESULTS

Compared with healthy dogs, dogs with CNS disorders had significantly higher total CK and CK-BB activities, and a significantly lower Macro-CK2 activity (P < .001). Comparison of pathologic subgroups and healthy dogs revealed significant differences (P < .01) in dogs with IE and inflammatory disorders for total CK activity, in all the subgroups for CK-BB (P < .01), and in dogs with IE and SOL for Macro-CK2 (P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study suggest that CK-BB is released by neurons damaged by inflammatory or degenerative conditions or due to compressive effects of SOL. However, the neurologic diseases cannot be differentiated based on CK-BB or Macro-CK2 activities, unless further studies allow the definition of diagnostic thresholds.