Serum aldolase and phosphocreatine kinase in umbilical cord blood.

Aldolase was estimated in the cord blood of 81 newborn infants and phosphocreatine kinase in 87 infants. There is a wide range in the results, with some values falling in the range reported in children with muscular dystrophy or of carriers of the disease. There is no correlation of the serum enzyme levels with the infant's birth weight. High levels of phosphocreatine kinase were found in infants of mothers with pre-eclamptic toxaemia. A single estimation of cord phosphocreatine kinase and aldolase is of little help in determining whether or not an infant has muscular dystrophy.