Creatinine, Serum

The glomerular filtration rate, or GFR, is a measure of how well your kidneys are cleaning your blood taking out waste and extra water. An estimated GFR test (eGFR) can tell your doctor how well your kidneys are functioning.

 

Accurate estimates of the GFR are important for identifying kidney disease, which often has no symptoms until just before the kidneys fail. The standard way to estimate GFR is with a simple blood test that measures your creatinine levels. Creatinine is a waste product from the digestion of dietary protein and the normal breakdown of muscle tissue. Aside from CKD, creatinine levels can be affected by other factors, including diet, muscle mass, malnutrition, and other chronic illnesses.

Preparation:

You may need to fast (not eat or drink) or avoid certain foods for several hours before the test. Your health care provider will let you know if there are any special instructions to follow.

Normal range: eGFR ≥90 is considered normal.

 

Your doctor may do an eGFR test as part of a regular physical exam, or they might recommend it if you have signs of kidney problems. Those can include:

 

• Problem’s peeing, including pain
• Having to go more often or making less pee
• Blood, foam, or a brownish colour in your pee
• Swelling or puffiness around your eyes, belly, wrists, or ankles
• Pain in the middle of your back, near your kidneys

 

Your doctor probably will also want to check your eGFR if you have a condition that affects your kidneys, like diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease. You may also get an eGFR test if other people in your family have had kidney disease.

Kidneys which are located on posterior to your abdomen and below your rib cage play several vital roles in maintaining your health. One of their most important jobs is to filter waste materials from the blood and expel them from the body as urine.

The kidneys also help control the levels of water and various essential minerals in the body. In addition, they’re critical to the production of:

• vitamin D
• red blood cells
• hormones that regulate blood pressure

If your doctor thinks your kidneys may not be working properly, you may need some tests including eGFR test. CREATININE EGFR testing.  They can help doctors monitor these conditions.

Your body makes and uses creatine, a chemical, to provide energy to muscles. When muscles use this energy, muscle tissue breaks down, releasing creatinine (a toxin) into the blood. Healthy kidneys filter this toxin out of the blood and your body gets rid of it when you urinate. But when you have kidney disease, creatinine stays in the blood and gradually builds up.

 

To determine eGFR, your provider uses a National Kidney Foundation calculating system. This system factors in your:

• Creatinine level.
• Age
• Sex
• Height and weight.
• Race and/or ethnicity.

Kidneys which are located on posterior to your abdomen and below your rib cage play several vital roles in maintaining your health. One of their most important jobs is to filter waste materials from the blood and expel them from the body as urine.

The kidneys also help control the levels of water and various essential minerals in the body. In addition, they’re critical to the production of:

• vitamin D
• red blood cells
• hormones that regulate blood pressure

If your doctor thinks your kidneys may not be working properly, you may need some tests including eGFR test. CREATININE EGFR testing.  They can help doctors monitor these conditions.

Your body makes and uses creatine, a chemical, to provide energy to muscles. When muscles use this energy, muscle tissue breaks down, releasing creatinine (a toxin) into the blood. Healthy kidneys filter this toxin out of the blood and your body gets rid of it when you urinate. But when you have kidney disease, creatinine stays in the blood and gradually builds up.

 

To determine eGFR, your provider uses a National Kidney Foundation calculating system. This system factors in your:

• Creatinine level.
• Age
• Sex
• Height and weight.
• Race and/or ethnicity.

Interpretation:

Values for eGFR vary depending on age, sex and other factors. The rate naturally declines as you age and lose muscle mass. 

Abnormal test results may be an indication of a problem in Kidney function. However, your doctor will be able to give you more specific information about your result, taking all your health information into account.