Turnaround times
The quoted turnaround time is from sample receipt in the laboratory, to results authorisation in the Laboratory Information Management system. The times do not include transport of specimen to the laboratory or the administrative process to print and post/email reports. Service users must allow for transport and reporting time when ordering tests.
Clinical background:
Creatine kinase (CK) is an intracelluar enzyme found in heart muscle, brain and skeletal muscle. It is principally used to assess skeletal muscle damage with significant elevations seen in rhabdomyolysis and muscular dystrophies. While also elevated in myocardial infarction Troponin T should be used to assess cardiac muscle damage.
Specimen container paediatric:
Serum (SST or plain tube)
Specimen container adult:
Serum (SST or plain tube)
Minimum volume paediatric:
0.5 mL blood
Minimum volume adult:
1 mL blood
Sample stability:
Unseparated sample: 3 daysSeparated sample:- 2 days at 15 to 25C- 7 days at 4C- 4 weeks at -20C
Interpretation:
Marked increase elevations are seen in myocardial infarction, muscular dystrophies and rhabdomyolysis.
Moderate increases may be seen due to less severe muscle injury, after surgery, in some cases of cerebrovascular accident and head injury and in some patients predisposed to malignant hyperpyrexia. Severe physical exertion, hypothyroidism, alcoholism and acute psychotic episodes may also cause an elevation in CK.
Physiological increases are seen post-partum and in the neonatal period, and artefactually high levels may occur in haemolysed samples.
Reference ranges:
Up to 4 weeks: 0 – 900 IU/L4 weeks and over (Male): 40 – 320 IU/L4 weeks and over (Female): 25 – 200 IU/LThese ranges only apply to white Caucasian. Other ethnic groups may have higher values.