Serum Creatinine Test

Serum Creatinine Test-Why am I having this test?

Creatinine is a waste product of normal muscle activity (contraction). Your kidneys filter creatinine from your blood and remove it from your body through urination. This test is a way to measure kidney function.

Your creatinine is usually done with other tests of your kidneys (renal function studies). Your health care provider may recommend this test if he or she suspects that you have a condition that is affecting your kidney function. This test may also be done as a part of routine blood work to assess your overall health or to monitor certain medical treatments.

Normal blood (serum) creatinine levels depend on the muscle mass of your body. In general, men and people with larger muscle mass will have a slightly higher creatinine level.

What is being tested?

This test measures the amount of creatinine in your blood.

What kind of sample is taken?

A blood sample is required for this test. It is usually collected by inserting a needle into a blood vessel or by sticking a finger with a small needle. For children, the blood sample is usually collected by sticking the child’s heel with a small needle (heel stick).

Tell a health care provider about:

  • All medicines you are taking, including vitamins, herbs, eye drops, creams, and over-the-counter medicines.

How are the results reported?

Your test results will be reported as a value that indicates the amount of creatinine in your blood. Your health care provider will compare your results to normal ranges that were established after testing a large group of people (reference ranges). Reference ranges may vary among labs and hospitals. For this test, common normal reference ranges are:

  • Children or adolescents:
    • Newborn: 0.3–1.2 mg/dL.
    • Infant: 0.2–0.4 mg/dL.
    • Child: 0.3–0.7 mg/dL.
    • Adolescent: 0.5–1 mg/dL.
  • Adult female: 0.5–1.1 mg/dL.
  • Adult male: 0.6–1.2 mg/dL.

The reference range may be higher in people who do resistance exercise to increase their muscle mass. Elderly people who have lost muscle mass may have lower values.

What do the results mean?

Abnormally high levels of serum creatinine can be caused by many health conditions. These may include:

  • Kidney disease.
  • Urinary tract obstruction.
  • Lower-than-normal blood flow to the kidneys.
  • Kidney damage from the release of molecules into your bloodstream that is caused by muscle damage (rhabdomyolysis).
  • A condition that causes enlarged bones (acromegaly).
  • Gigantism.
  • Diabetes.

Abnormally low levels of serum creatinine can result from decreased muscle mass.

Talk with your health care provider about what your results mean.

Questions to ask your health care provider

Ask your health care provider, or the department that is doing the test:

  • When will my results be ready?
  • How will I get my results?
  • What are my treatment options?
  • What other tests do I need?
  • What are my next steps?

Summary

  • Creatinine is a waste product of normal muscle activity (contraction). Your kidneys filter creatinine from your blood (serum) and remove it through urination.
  • You may have this test to check whether your kidneys are working as they should. The test may also be used to evaluate your overall health or to monitor certain medical treatments.
  • Abnormally high levels of serum creatinine can be caused by many health conditions. Abnormally low levels can result from decreased muscle mass.
  • Talk with your health care provider about what your test results mean.
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