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Renal function test; estimate glomerular filtration rate (GFR); evaluate renal function in small or wasted subjects; follow possible progression of renal disease; adjust dosages of medications in which renal excretion is pivotal (eg, aminoglycosides, methotrexate, cisplatin)
Exercise may cause increased creatinine clearance. The glomerular filtration rate is substantially increased in pregnancy. Ascorbic acid, ketone bodies (acetoacetate), hydantoin, numerous cephalosporins1,2 and glucose may influence creatinine determinations. Trimethoprim, cimetidine, quinine, quinidine, procainamide reduce creatinine excretion. Icteric samples, lipemia, and hemolysis may interfere with determination of creatinine. Since tubular secretion of creatinine is fractionally more important in progressing renal failure, the creatinine clearance overestimates GFR with high serum creatinine levels. While ingestion of meats may cause some increase in creatinine excretion, in practice this seems to make little difference. Intraindividual variation in creatinine clearance is about 15%. Males excrete more creatinine and have slightly higher clearance than females.
Glomerular filtration rate declines about 10% per decade after age 50. Some patients with significant impairment of glomerular filtration rate have only slightly elevated serum creatinine.3 Creatinine clearance is calculated on the basis of the surface area of the patient. The estimated error of determining creatinine clearance utilizing serum and 24-hour urine collection has been found to be in the range of 10% to 15%. Any test requiring a 24-hour urine collection may also be run on this specimen (eg, protein, quantitative, 24-hour urine).
1. Swain RR, Briggs SL. Positive interference with the Jaffé reaction by cephalosporin antibiotics. Clin Chem. 1977 Jul; 23(7):1340-1342. PubMed 872385
2. Levey AS, Perrone RD, Madias NE. Serum creatinine and renal function. Annu Rev Med. 1988; 39:465-490 (review). PubMed 3285786
3. Klahr S. The modification of diet in renal disease study. N Engl J Med. 1989 Mar 30; 320(13):864-866. PubMed 2494456
