Comparative Assessment of Serum Creatine Kinase-MB to Total Creatine Kinase Ratio in Cerebrovascular Accident and Transient Ischemic Attack Patients

BACKGROUND: Stroke is the third-leading cause of death and one of the major causes of long-term disability globally. Evaluating serum enzymes has been proposed as a straightforward, cost-effective, reliable, and accessible method for assessing the severity, progression, prognosis, and, to some degree, the differential diagnosis of cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) and transient ischemic attacks (TIA). This study aimed to comparing the ratio of creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) to total creatine kinase (CK) in CVA patients and TIA patients. METHODS: This retrospective analytical epidemiological study reviewed the medical records, laboratory tests, and clinical data of all patients diagnosed with both CVA and TIA who were admitted to Golestan Hospital in Ahvaz. A neurologist confirmed a definitive diagnosis. The collected data included age, sex, type of stroke (CVA or TIA), and serum levels of CK and CK-MB. RESULTS: The findings indicated that the mean serum CK level in the hemorrhagic stroke group (296.18 ± 308.12) showed a statistically significant difference when compared to the TIA group (37.31 ± 8.73). In contrast, the ischemic stroke group (423.34 ± 269.45) did not show a significant difference compared to the TIA group. In addition, the mean serum CK-MB levels in the hemorrhagic stroke group (9.44 ± 24.81) and the ischemic stroke group (14.23 ± 25.08) did not differ significantly from the TIA group (12.63 ± 18). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that serum CK could serve as a relevant biochemical marker specifically in hemorrhagic stroke, warranting further investigation in larger cohorts to clarify its diagnostic and prognostic utility.