Question
In reading through past submitted questions, I came across one that is similar to my condition, and I'm hoping you can shed some light on it...

I have had multiple blood tests starting at my 40th birthday (I'm now 42).  My wife had urged me to get a complete checkup as I did not do this in my younger years as rarley I felt ill or sick.  The results of multiple blood tests have shown that I have a high level of Creatine Kinase (from 2500 to 8800 U/L) and a high level of Aldolase (from 20 to 48 U/L) in my blood.  I do not feel weak nor sick, but have been seeing a specialist locally in the Arthritis, Osteoporosis and Auto Immune Diseases area.

I am scheduled for a muscle biopsy soon, but have had an EMG that showed nothing out of the normal.

I am very active, but have no joint pain, muscle weakness, nor any muscle pain (other than normal soreness after lots of activity).  I do not take any pain medication, and I do have a couple to four drinks per week.

Any suggestions on what might be causing such abnormally high levels of Muscle Enzyme and Aldolase in my blood?  Some kind of vitamin defficiency?  Too much activity?

Thank you in advance for your insight.

Answer
Dear Don,   I would like to tell your that a vitamin deficiency is what is causing your problem, but I honestly do not think that is what is doing it and your doctor is wise to do the muscle biopsy.....

There are several seperate CPK readings and I do not know is this 2500-8800 U/L reading to for "total CPK" or one of the other 3.....  Anyway, I will try to explain the possible medical problems this way....

Increased levels of "total" CPK could be caused by disease or injury affecting the heart muscle, skeletal muscle and brain....

Increased levels of CPK-BB isoenzyme could be caused by diseases affecting the central nervous system, or adenocarcinoma (especially breast and lung) or Pulmonary infarction....

Increased levels of CPK-MB isoenzyme could be caused by acute myocardial infarction, cardiac aneurysm surgery, cardiac difibrillation, muocarditis, ventricular arrhythmias, cardiac ischemia...

Increased levels of CPK-MM isoenzyme could be cause by Rhabdomyolysis, Muscular Dystroply, Myositis, recent surgery, electomyography, IM injectionss, crush injuries, delirium tremens, malignant hyperthermia, recent convulsions, electroconvulsize therapy, shock, hypokalemia, hypothyroidism.....

As for the Increased level of Aldolase, this can be caused by Muscular disease (such as muscular dystrophy, dermatomyositis, polymyositis), Hepatocellular diseases (hepatitis), muscle trauma (severe crush injuries, Muscular infections (trichinosis), gangrenous processes (gangrene of the bowel) or myocardial infacrtion.....

Based on this I can see why your doctor wants to do a muscle biopsy....  This is the only way to know whether you may have Muscular Dystrophy or other muscle diseases listed above... If the biopsy is negative for muscle diseases, then you still have a long way to go to determine what the problem is since above is listed all the possibilities....

Exercise/activity can increase the CPK, but only if there were a severe muscle injury....

thank you,   karen