Online calculators are available to apply this formula and determine creatinine clearance. The final value is converted to milliliters of blood per minute (mL/min). This is then divided by the amount of creatinine in the blood. To calculate creatinine clearance, the creatinine level in the urine is multiplied by the total volume of urine produced over 24 hours. By applying a specific formula, these blood and urine measurements can estimate the amount of blood being filtered by the glomeruli in the kidneys, which is the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Creatinine then can be carried out of the body in the urine.Ī creatinine clearance test helps show how well this process is working by measuring the amount of creatinine in both the blood and urine. The body consistently produces creatinine as a byproduct of normal activity, and the tiny filters in the kidneys, called glomeruli, work to remove the creatinine from the blood. When a drug or treatment with side effects that can affect kidney function is prescribed, a creatinine clearance test can check for possible kidney damage or abnormal kidney function.Ī creatinine clearance test measures the amount of creatinine in a sample of blood taken from your arm and in a sample of all the urine you produce during a 24-hour period.Ĭreatinine develops as a result of the breakdown of creatine, a chemical that helps provide the muscles with energy.Testing before and after treatment for kidney disease can assess how well the treatment is working.After kidney disease has been diagnosed, testing can help track how the disease progresses.This type of monitoring may be useful in multiple situations: MonitoringĬreatinine clearance tests can be used to observe how kidney function changes over time. However, a creatinine clearance test that includes a urine sample may be used if the blood test alone has an abnormal result or if individual patient factors make the blood creatinine measurement less reliable. A creatinine blood test is easier to conduct because it does not require a urine sample.

Specialized formulas have been established to estimate the glomerular filtration rate based solely on blood levels of creatinine. In many cases, initial screening is done with a creatinine blood test. For these patients, kidney function tests may be done as screening in order to try to detect kidney problems before any symptoms have occurred. Some people are at higher risk of kidney problems, including people with diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of kidney disease. Creatinine clearance testing may also help diagnose whether kidney problems are present in people with more general symptoms like fatigue. DiagnosisĪ creatinine clearance test may be part of the diagnostic process if you have symptoms that are consistent with a possible kidney problem such as urinary changes, itching, loss of appetite, and swollen feet. Testing to observe or follow a condition is monitoring. Testing before symptoms have appeared is known as screening.

Testing that happens after symptoms have occurred is part of making a diagnosis.

It can be an important tool for the diagnosis, screening, and monitoring of kidney disease. Measuring creatinine clearance to evaluate kidney filtration may be done for many different reasons. In particular, creatinine clearance is used to determine the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), which describes how well the kidneys are filtering the blood. The purpose of a creatinine clearance test is to assess kidney function.

Creatinine clearance pcalc