A creatinine test checks the creatinine levels in the blood or urine, which indicates how well the kidneys are functioning. It can be done as a combination of blood test (serum creatinine test) and a creatinine urine test.
Creatinine is a chemical compound found in your bloodstream that comes from the energy-producing processes of muscles. Normal, healthy kidneys filter creatinine out of your blood and it exits your body as a waste product in urine.
A creatinine clearance test measures how well your kidneys filter the compound out of your bloodstream into urine.
To measure creatinine, a serum (blood) sample and urine samples are collected from you within a 24-hour period.
If the results show that your creatinine clearance levels are lower than the typical range for your age group, it may be a sign of:
The normal range for a creatinine blood test depends on your age, gender and number of kidneys:
If you are a/an... | The normal range is... |
---|---|
Adult man | 0.6 – 1.2mg of creatinine per deciliter (dL) of blood |
Adult woman | 0.5 – 1.1mg of creatinine per dL of blood |
Person with only 1 kidney | It can vary depending on the health of the remaining kidney, usually ranging 1.2 – 1.9mg of creatinine per dL of blood |
The following creatinine levels may indicate severe kidney impairment:
Your doctor may order a creatinine test to:
Chronic kidney disease can sometimes be a ‘silent’ condition. There may be no obvious symptoms until the disease is quite advanced. Creatinine levels can help your doctor determine how well your kidneys are working.
A creatinine blood test is often performed together with a blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test.
Blood urea nitrogen level is another indicator of kidney function. If kidney function is impaired, metabolic byproducts like urea can build up.
Compared to creatinine levels alone, the BUN-to-creatinine ratio provides more precise information about kidney function and its possible causes. As BUN also increases with dehydration, this can help your doctor check for other problems, such as dehydration.
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