Serum Aldolase in Muscular Dystrophies, Neuromuscular Disorders, and Wasting of Skeletal Muscle

In 1953 and 1954, the Schapiras, Dreyfus, and Kruh8,9reported that the concentration of serum aldolase was consistently elevated in patients with muscular dystrophy. Because of the potential importance of such a diagnostic test, we have attempted to evaluate this finding. While the present study was in progress, reports by Jacob and Neuhaus,5Aronson and Volk,1and Beckmann2appeared which confirmed the original description. Methods and Material Serum Aldolase.— The method employed for the determination of serum aldolase activity was essentially that of Sibley and Lehninger.10,11Only minor modifications were introduced. Sibley and Lehninger reported their results in terms of the number of cubic millimeters of hexose diphosphate substrate split per hour at 38 C (cu. mm. HDP/ml/hr.) in order to make their values comparable to the commonly usedQnotation, in whichQ(substrate) = (cubic millimeters of substrate acted upon)/(milligrams of dry tissue multiplied