From the Guidelines
A high creatine kinase (CK) level is significant as it can indicate muscle damage, acute kidney injury, or other health issues, and its interpretation should be done in conjunction with other clinical findings and symptoms, as levels above 3000 U·L−1 may be associated with an increased risk of acute kidney injury 1. The significance of a high CK level can vary depending on the context and underlying health conditions. In athletes, high CK levels may be associated with muscle damage after intense exercise, while in patients with kidney disease, it may indicate a decline in renal function.
- In the context of exercise-induced muscle damage, CK levels can increase after unaccustomed exercises, especially those involving eccentric contractions 1.
- However, the pathophysiological background of CK increase is complex and not yet fully understood, making its interpretation challenging 1.
- In clinical practice, CK levels are often used as an indirect marker of muscle damage, but its correlation with functional outcomes is poor, and absolute levels can only be of limited value for certain outcomes or pathologies 1.
- The American College of Radiology suggests that AKI is defined as an increase in creatinine by 0.3 mg/dL within 48 hours or an increase in serum creatinine to 1.5 times baseline, and CKD is defined as an abnormality of kidney structure or function, present for >3 months, with health consequences 1.
- The Canadian Society of Nephrology commentary on the 2012 KDIGO clinical practice guideline for acute kidney injury highlights the importance of developing accurate classification schemes for research purposes and the need to identify all patients with renal injury 1.
- In patients with heart failure, high CK levels may be associated with worsening renal function, which can be a precursor to acute kidney injury, and regular monitoring of renal function can help clinicians intervene early to reduce the risk of progression to kidney failure 1.
From the Research
Significance of High Creatine Kinase (CK) Level
There are no research papers provided to assist in answering this question, as all the studies are related to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and its significance in various diseases, but none of them mention creatine kinase (CK) levels.
- The studies provided discuss the elevation of serum ACE activity in sarcoidosis 2, 3, 4, 5 and its correlation with disease severity in COVID-19 patients 6.
- None of the studies investigate the significance of high creatine kinase (CK) levels.
- Creatine kinase is an enzyme found in the heart, brain, and skeletal muscle, and high levels of CK can indicate muscle damage or disease, but this is not discussed in the provided studies.