Serum creatine kinase B subunit levels in neurogenic atrophies.

This study is an attempt to determine the creatine kinase B (CK-B) subunit levels in neurogenic atrophies. A group of 69 patients was studied and the results were compared with those in a group of 32 patients with muscle disease. The results showed that the CK-B levels are considerably higher in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (P less than 0.001) and peroneal muscular atrophy (P less than 0.001). Further studies in the various subgroups of neurogenic atrophies showed that, regardless of the nosological entity, the CK-B activity is considerably higher: (1) in the "widespread" as opposed to "limited" forms (P less than 0.001); (2) in the "chronic" than in the "acute" neurogenic atrophies (P less than 0.001); and (3) in the "active" as opposed to "residual" forms (P less than 0.02). It is suggested that the increase of CK-B in neurogenic atrophies is a strong indication of an active regeneration process in the denervated muscle.