Creatinine test

What is a creatinine test?

This test estimates creatinine levels in a sample of blood and/or pee. Creatinine - a normal waste product in the body. It's produced when a person utilizes muscles, and some of the muscle tissue breaks down.

Normally, kidneys filter creatinine from the blood and remove it from the body in urine. If a person's kidneys are not working properly, creatinine can accumulate in his/her blood, and less may be released in urine. If blood and/or urine creatinine levels are abnormal, it may indicate renal disease.

Creatinine in blood may be measured by itself or as part of a group of tests known as a comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) or a basic metabolic panel (BMP). 

What is it utilised for?

A creatinine test is utilised to aid:

• Assess the health of kidneys
• Diagnose renal disease
• Monitor known renal issues and see how well treatment is working
• Check for side effects from medications that may impact kidneys

Creatinine testing alone isn't the best way to check how well kidneys are functioning. That's because people make different quantities of creatinine depending on how much muscle they have, the foods they consume, their age, as well as how active they are. So, the results from creatinine testing are often used in calculations or compared with other substances to aid in getting more information:

Creatinine levels in blood are often utilised to calculate how fast kidneys filter waste out of blood. This is referred to as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The calculation includes information about person's age, weight, height, and sex. An eGFR is a more precise way to estimate renal health than creatinine levels in blood or urine alone. An eGFR can also aid show how severe renal disease may be.

Levels of creatinine in blood and urine may be compared. This is called a creatinine clearance calculation. Like an eGFR, it estimates how swiftly kidneys filter waste. But an eGFR is more precise. Creatinine clearance may still be helpful to identify the cause of high or low levels of blood creatinine in people who have very high muscle mass or a loss of muscle mass from age, illness, or the loss of an arm and/or leg.

Creatinine levels in urine may be utilised to calculate a urine albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR), which is sometimes called a microalbumin creatinine ratio. Albumin is the main protein found in the blood. Normally kidneys filter out just a trace of albumin, or none. If larger amounts of albumin pass into urine, it may be a sign of renal damage. A UACR compares the amounts of creatinine and albumin in urine to get a more precise measurement of how much albumin is in urine.

Creatinine blood levels measured as part of a CMP, or a BMP may be compared with the level of BUN (blood urea nitrogen) that's estimated in the same test. This can aid find out the cause of a kidney problem.

Need of a creatinine test

Healthcare provider may order a creatinine test:

To assess renal health as part of a routine checkup.

If person has symptoms of kidney disease. Symptoms may comprise:

• Swelling in the hands as well as feet or puffy eyelids
• Dry skin, itching/numbness
• Tiredness
• Increased or decreased need to pee
• Urine that is bloody or foamy
• Loss of appetite and weight loss
• Muscle cramps
• Nausea and vomiting
• Shortness of breath
• Sleep problems
• Trouble thinking clearly

If person has a high risk for developing kidney disease, even if he/she doesn’t show symptoms now. 

If person has renal problems or possible kidney problems because they have:

• Had an abnormal result on a kidney test in the past
• Been diagnosed with kidney disease
• Taken certain medicines that could impact kidneys
• Had a kidney transplant

Preparation for the test

• Person may be told to not eat meat for 24 hours before test. That's because meat can temporarily increase creatinine levels.
• If creatinine is being measured as part of a CMP or a BMP test, person may need to fast (not eat or drink) for up to 12 hours before test.

What happens during a creatinine test?

For a creatinine blood test:

A health care professional will obtain a blood sample from a vein in arm, utilising a small needle. Post the needle is inserted, a small quantity of blood will be cumulated into a test tube/vial. Person may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This typically takes less than five minutes.

For a creatinine urine test:

Person may need to provide all the urine they pass over 24 hours. That's because creatinine levels vary through the day.

For a 24-hour urine sample, person will be given a special container to collect his/her urine over a full day and instructions on how to collect as well as store sample. Healthcare provider will tell person what time to commence. The test generally comprises the following steps:

• To begin, person should urinate in the toilet as usual. They should not collect this urine. Note down the time of urination.
• For the next 24 hours, collect all urine in the container.
• During the period of collection, store the urine container in a cooler with ice.
• 24 hours post starting the test, person should try to urinate if he/she can.
• Person should return the container with urine to provider's office, or the laboratory as instructed.
• If person has haemorrhoids that bleed or are having menses, they should inform healthcare provider prior to test.

Results

Creatinine levels that are considered normal for a person will rely on how much muscle they have, what they eat, age, and how active they are. 

But a normal creatinine test result doesn't always mean that person’s kidneys are healthy. Sometimes, blood creatinine levels remain in a normal range during the early stages of kidney disease. They rise as the condition of kidneys becomes more serious. 

If results are abnormal, a single high creatinine test can't diagnose a specific condition. Person will likely need to be retested and/or have other tests, too.

In general, if blood creatinine level is:

High it may be a sign of:

Renal disease or injury, comprising infection, poor blood flow to the kidneys, a blockage in the urinary system, or renal failure

A condition that impacts kidneys, like heart failure or diabetes

High blood creatinine levels don't always mean person has a kidney issue. They may be caused by dehydration, muscle disorders, intense exercise, or a diet rich in meat. Specific health problems in pregnancy can also cause increases in creatinine.

If blood creatinine level is low, it may be a sign of malnutrition or a condition that causes muscles to get smaller, like a long illness, a nerve disorder, or muscle loss from aging. Serious hepatic disease can also lead to low levels. 

Risks

There is very minor risk of having a blood test. A person may have slight pain/bruising at the spot where the needle was put, but many symptoms go away rapidly.

There is negligible risk to having a urine test.

To summarize, creatinine test is a measure of how well kidneys are performing their job of filtering waste from blood.

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