Introduction

Product for use in the quantitative determination in vitro of the CK-MB concentration in human serum. The results of the test must always be interpreted in conjunction with the clinical picture. Creatine kinase (CK) is present in human serum in the form of three different isoenzymes, each composed of two subunits (B and M). They are identified as MM, MB and BB (1). In normal human serum CK-MM (from skeletal muscle) constitutes the largest fraction of the three isoenzymes and increases rapidly after intense physical exercise, after muscular trauma and after acute myocardial infarction, while CK-BB (from the brain) is generally not present in normal conditions. Determination of the activity of the B monomers is practically specific for CK-MB which is present in cardiac muscle and is released during myocardial infarction (2).