| Parameter 1 | Parameter 2 | Description | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common Reference Ranges | Adults | 0.7 - 1.5 mg/dL 62 -133 µmol/L | |
| Pediatrics | 0.2 - 0.7 mg/dL 18 - 62µmol/L | SCr (mg/dL) = height (in) x 0.01 | |
| Critical value | > 2 mg/dL or sudden increase > 1 mg/dL | ||
| Natural substance? | Yes | Waste product of muscle metabolism | |
| Inherent activity? | No | No physiological activity | |
| Location | Production | Muscle | From creatine and creatine phosphate |
| Storage | Not stored | ||
| Secretion/excretion | Excreted unchanged via glomerular filtration | Some secretion | |
| Major causes of ... | High results | Renal dysfunction | Tables 2-4 |
| Associated Signs & Symptoms | Signs & Symptoms of renal failure | Decreasing urine output, acid-base imbalances, anemia | |
| Low results | Abnormally low muscle mass | Cachexia and chronic neuromuscular disease | |
| Associated Signs & Symptoms | Causes of low muscle mass | Does not cause signs & symptoms directly | |
| After insult, time to ... | Initial elevation | 6 - 24 hrs | Usual maximum increase of 1-2 mg/dL/day |
| Peak values | 3 - 6 days | Assumes insult not removed | |
| Normalization | 3 - 6 days | Assumes insult removed and no permanent damage | |
| Drugs often monitored with test | Aminoglycosides, Amphotericin B, gallium, lithium, diuretics | Table 3 | |
| Causes of spurious results | Table 4 | Assay dependent |
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was last updated January 1, 1998.