Creatinine values are measured to correct results for urine dilution.
Creatinine is a waste product produced by muscles from the breakdown of a compound called creatine. Creatinine is filtered from the blood by the kidneys and released into the urine.
The amount of creatinine produced in the body is dependent on muscle mass and is relatively constant for an individual. The amount of creatinine removed from the blood depends on both the filtering ability of the kidneys and the rate at which blood is carried to the kidneys.
Why is creatinine tested?
Because creatinine is excreted in a predictable way, it has been used by many laboratories to calculate urinary markers. As a urine sample gets more diluted (=thinner/weaker), the concentration of the hormone decreases. The creatinine value decreases in parallel and corrects for hydration.
As creatinine is used in the calculations for almost all the other markers, it is important to make sure that the creatinine values through the day (from the 4 samples) lie within the reference ranges.
Creatinine (pooled)
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