[The assessment of perinatal brain damage in premature infants at risk by serial creatine kinase BB measurements].

Peri-intraventricular bleeding (PIVH) is considered the most common cause of neurologic damage or death in low birthweight infants (less than 1000 g birth weight and 31 weeks of gestation). High-resolution real-time ultrasound scan is used for early diagnosis of PIVH in neonates. Furthermore, increase of serum creatine-kinase BB (CK-BB) values has been found to be clinically useful for diagnosis and prognosis of several perinatal cerebrovascular injuries. Eighty-eight preterm infants with different grades of PIVH (I-IV) were studied by serial measurements of CK-BB levels in serum. No statistical correlation was found between enzymatic levels and severity of PIVH (p greater than 0.5).