An enzyme test is a blood or urine test that measures certain enzyme levels to assess how well the body’s systems are functioning and whether there has been any tissue damage. Enzymes are proteins within cells that help chemical reactions to occur. The names of many enzymes end in -ase (e.g., creatine kinase, aldolase).

Enzyme tests are important tools used to:

• Diagnose or rule out causes of muscle weakness or pain, or pain in other bodily regions (e.g., abdominal pain)
  
  
• Help monitor the effectiveness of medical treatment
  
  
• Assess how well some organs are functioning, such as the liver

In some cases, enzyme testing may be used to detect conditions that cause skin rashes or other skin disorders. Such conditions include lupus, sarcoidosis and scleroderma. However, not all diseases or disorders can be diagnosed or monitored with enzyme tests.

Several blood or urine samples may be taken to detect fluctuations of enzymes. Although patients may experience some discomfort when their blood is drawn, the process usually takes only a few minutes.