ELEVATED LEVELS OF SERUM CREATINE-KINASE INDUCED BY HYPONATREMIA

Elevated serum creatine kinase levels are one of the major criteria fo r the diagnosis of myocardial injury. Noncardiac causes such as muscul ar and brain damage may also be associated with elevated serum creatin e kinase levels. Hyponatremia may induce increased serum creatine kina se in association with rhabdomyolysis or with hypothyroidism. A patien t is described where three episodes of hyponatraemia not associated wi th rhabdomyolysis or hypothyroidism induced transient elevations of se rum creatine kinase levels. The association between hyponatraemia and elevated creatine kinase levels should be emphasized to prevent errone ous diagnosis of myocardial injury.