As a renal unit we often get these requests also.We have long since
given up querying them,but several reasons for requesting them have
been suggested over the years.
1.To document the clearance result for the patient to be put on
haemodialysis for the first time.
2. To assess residual kidney function in patients who are already on
dialysis,particularly CAPD-continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.
3. The need for medics to always have a number for a test whether or
not it may be relevant - litigation and all that!!!
4. The information to be got from measuring the urine volume(output)
alone seems to be poorly understood.
I am sure there are more, but these represent the best and the worse
ones we regularly encounter.As always however in a busy department it
is usually easier to do the test than try to argue ones way out of
performing it.
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Creatinine clearance
Author: [log in to unmask]
Date: 4/29/99 2:26 PM
Dear Colleagues,
We have repeatedly been asked to do creatinine clearance in patients
with an urinary output of about 200 ml/24h (our collection period).
An appropriate urine flow rate seems to be a prerequisite for the
meaningful analysis of creatinine clearance. Therefore, I ask you to
comment on the usefulness of this test in the above mentioned patients.
Should we set a lower limit for the urine volume produced in 24 hours?
Obviously, creatinine clearance would be useless in minimal urine
output.
Thank you very much for your input.
Sincerely,
Dr. med. Michael Steiner
University of Rostock
Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry
Ernst-Heydemann-Str. 6
D-18057 Rostock
GERMANY
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