Creatine kinase BB in blood as index of prognosis and effect of treatment after severe head injury.

High concentrations of creatine kinase BB (CK-BB) were found in all blood samples drawn within 6 hours of accident from 45 patients with brain contusion. The highest concentrations of more than 100 microg/l were measured in blood samples taken shortly after the accident from patients with a Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) of 6 or less. The CK-BB concentrations decreased rapidly to normal within 36 hours of accident in the patients given intensive care guided by intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring. In patients with less severe injuries according to GCS the initial CK-BB concentrations were generally lower and normalized less rapidly. The outcome after 6 months was moderate or good in all 9 patients who had this rapid normalization of blood CK-BB. On the other hand, of 20 patients who had a more slow CK-BB decrease, only 9 had an acceptable outcome. Delayed ICP increase to more than 40 mm Hg and even delayed brain tamponade did not result in CK-BB levels higher than 5 microg/l. Brain tamponade in the acute stage resulted in rapid CK-BB decrease in the blood. In paired simultaneously drawn samples of lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood, CK-BB levels were generally higher in the CSF.