Skip to main content

Creatinine Clearance

CPT 82575
Synonyms
  • Clearance, Creatinine

Test Details

Methodology

Colorimetric

Result Turnaround Time

Within 1 day

Use

Renal function test; estimate glomerular filtration rate (GFR); evaluate renal function in small or wasted subjects; follow possible progression of renal disease; adjust dosages of medications in which renal excretion is pivotal (eg, aminoglycosides, methotrexate, cisplatin)

Special Instructions

The test request form must state date and time collection started and date and time collection finished. The request form should state 24-hour urine volume.

Specimen Requirements

Test Includes

Creatinine, serum; creatinine, urine; eGFR calculation

Limitations

Exercise may cause increased creatinine clearance. The glomerular filtration rate is substantially increased in pregnancy. Ascorbic acid, ketone bodies (acetoacetate), hydantoin, numerous cephalosporins1,2 and glucose may influence creatinine determinations. Trimethoprim, cimetidine, quinine, quinidine, procainamide reduce creatinine excretion. Icteric samples, lipemia, and hemolysis may interfere with determination of creatinine. Since tubular secretion of creatinine is fractionally more important in progressing renal failure, the creatinine clearance overestimates GFR with high serum creatinine levels. While ingestion of meats may cause some increase in creatinine excretion, in practice this seems to make little difference. Intraindividual variation in creatinine clearance is about 15%. Males excrete more creatinine and have slightly higher clearance than females.

Custom Additional Information

Glomerular filtration rate declines about 10% per decade after age 50. Some patients with significant impairment of glomerular filtration rate have only slightly elevated serum creatinine.3 Creatinine clearance is calculated on the basis of the surface area of the patient. The estimated error of determining creatinine clearance utilizing serum and 24-hour urine collection has been found to be in the range of 10% to 15%. Any test requiring a 24-hour urine collection may also be run on this specimen (eg, protein, quantitative, 24-hour urine).

Specimen

Serum (preferred) or plasma and urine (24-hour)

Volume

1 mL serum or plasma and 10 mL aliquot of entire urine collection

Minimum Volume

0.7 mL serum and 0.5 mL urine aliquot (Note: This volume does not allow for repeat testing.)

Container

Red-top tube, gel-barrier tube, or green-top (lithium heparin) tube. Do not use oxalate, EDTA, or citrate plasma and plastic urine container, with or without 6N HCl.

Storage Instructions

Room temperature

Causes for Rejection

No blood creatinine drawn; improper labeling

Collection Instructions

Separate serum or plasma from cells within 45 minutes of collection. For urine, instruct the patient to void at 8 AM and discard the specimen. Then collect all urine including the final specimen voided at the end of the 24-hour collection period (ie, 8 AM the next morning). Screw the lid on securely. Tube must be labeled with patient's full name and date and time for a 24-hour collection. Submit both urine and serum simultaneously. It is preferable to collect the serum at the time the urine collection is completed or when the serum is brought to the draw station. The serum should be collected within 24 hours of the start or finish of the urine collection.

Stability Requirements

Temperature

Period

Room temperature

7 days

Refrigerated

14 days

Frozen

14 days

Freeze/thaw cycles

Stable x3

Reference Range

• Male: younger than 12 years: 50−90 mL/minute, 12 years and older: 97−137 mL/minute

• Female: younger than 12 years: 50−90 mL/minute, 12 years and older: 88−128 mL/minute

Note: Creatinine clearance reference intervals are based on a body surface area of 1.73 m2.

Footnotes

1. Swain RR, Briggs SL. Positive interference with the Jaffé reaction by cephalosporin antibiotics. Clin Chem. 1977 Jul; 23(7):1340-1342. 872385
2. Levey AS, Perrone RD, Madias NE. Serum creatinine and renal function. Annu Rev Med. 1988; 39:465-490 (review). 3285786
3. Klahr S. The modification of diet in renal disease study. N Engl J Med. 1989 Mar 30; 320(13):864-866. 2494456

LOINC® Map

Order Code Order Code Name Order Loinc Result Code Result Code Name UofM Result LOINC
003004 Creatinine Clearance 34555-3 001370 Creatinine mg/dL 2160-0
003004 Creatinine Clearance 34555-3 013672 Creatinine, Urine mg/dL 2161-8
003004 Creatinine Clearance 34555-3 013227 Creatinine, Ur 24hr mg/24 hr 2162-6
003004 Creatinine Clearance 34555-3 013029 Creatinine Clearance mL/min 2164-2
003004 Creatinine Clearance 34555-3 100779 eGFR mL/min/1.73 98979-8
Order Code003004
Order Code NameCreatinine Clearance
Order Loinc34555-3
Result Code001370
Result Code NameCreatinine
UofMmg/dL
Result LOINC2160-0
Order Code003004
Order Code NameCreatinine Clearance
Order Loinc34555-3
Result Code013672
Result Code NameCreatinine, Urine
UofMmg/dL
Result LOINC2161-8
Order Code003004
Order Code NameCreatinine Clearance
Order Loinc34555-3
Result Code013227
Result Code NameCreatinine, Ur 24hr
UofMmg/24 hr
Result LOINC2162-6
Order Code003004
Order Code NameCreatinine Clearance
Order Loinc34555-3
Result Code013029
Result Code NameCreatinine Clearance
UofMmL/min
Result LOINC2164-2
Order Code003004
Order Code NameCreatinine Clearance
Order Loinc34555-3
Result Code100779
Result Code NameeGFR
UofMmL/min/1.73
Result LOINC98979-8