Creatine kinase and aspartate aminotransferase in cows as indicators for endometritis

The aim of the study was to prove a correlation between creatine kinase (CK; EC 2.7.3.2.) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST; EC 2.6.1.1.) activities in serum and the severity of endometritis. We (i) determined clinical and clinical-chemical (CK, AST, bilirubin) parameters on 87 cows with abomasal displacement (DA), (ii) measured CK, AST and glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH; EC 1.4.1.2.) in serum and uterine tissue samples in 10 slaughter cows, and (iii) compared the serum reaction (CK, AST, bilirubin) of six healthy, non-pregnant cows after an inter-auterine application of a mild irritating 0.2% peroxyacetic acid (Uterofertil) with that of four healthy cows after an intrauterine application of 0.9% sodium chloride solution. Uterine tissue contains high activities of CK (2940 +/- 1140 U/g protein) and AST (159 +/- 25 U/g protein). Cows with DA have increased serum CK and AST activities, which correlate with the degree of endometritis. The DA without endometritis also comes along with slightly increased CK (quartiles 181, 259 and 288 U/l) and AST (101, 138 and 199 U/l) activities. In pregnant cows these activities are higher than in non-pregnant cows. Irritation of the uterus with Uterofertil leads to increased serum CK but not AST. After the exclusion of evaluated CK as a result of muscular damage or hypocalcaemia, this enzyme can be used as a screening parameter in the diagnosis of endometritis. In each clinical case it is necessary to determine if increased AST activities are muscle-, liver- or uterus-dependent.