Kidneys creatinine

Most doctors use the plasma concentrations of creatinine, urea and electrolytes to determine renal function. These measures are adequate to determine whether a patient is suffering from kidney disease. Protein and amino acid catabolism results in the production of ammonia, which in turn is converted via the urea cycle into urea, which is then excreted via the kidneys. Creatinine is a breakdown product of creatine phosphate in muscle, and is usually produced at a fairly constant rate by the body (depending on muscle mass). Creatinine is mainly filtered by the kidney, though a small amount is actively secreted. There is little to no tubular reabsorption of creatinine. If the filtering of the kidney is deficient, blood levels rise. 

Carboplatin displays less nephro-, oto- and neurotoxicity. However, myelosuppression is more frequent, and as the drug is exclusively cleared through the kidney, adjustment of dose for creatinine clearance must be accomplished. 

RISK FOR INEFFECTIVE TISSUE PERFUSION RENAL When the patient is taking a drag tiiat is potentially toxic to die kidneys, die nurse must carefully monitor fluid intake and output. In some instances, die nurse may need to perform hourly measurements of die urinary output. Periodic laboratory tests are usually ordered to monitor the patient s response to therapy and to detect toxic drag reactions. Seram creatinine levels and BUN levels are checked frequentiy during the course of therapy to monitor kidney function. If the BUN exceeds 40 mg dL or if the serum creatinine level exceeds 3 mg cIL, the primary health care provider may discontinue the drug therapy or reduce the dosage until renal function improves. 

The study of the mechanism of urinary excretion of amylase and the amylase clearance has been the subject of many studies in recent years. Levitt et. al (79) studied the renal clearance of amylase in renal insufficiency, acute pancreatitis and macro-amylasemia. In acute pancreatitis, the kidney cleared amylase at a markedly increased rate. The ratio of the amylase clearance rate to the creatinine clearance rate (Cgm/Ccr) averaged 3 times normal early in the course of acute pancreatitis, and this elevation could persist after the serum amylase returned to normal. Comparison of an lase clearance to creatinine clearance was to minimize irrelevant changes due to variation in renal function. The increased clearance of amylase makes the urinary amylase a more sensitive indicator of pancreatitis. 

Another indirect electrochemical heahng method involves the artificial kidney machine, with electrochemical regeneration of the dialysis solution. The common kidney machine is a dialyzer in which blood of the patient (who suffers from kiduey insufficiency) and a dialysis solution are pumped arouud iu two differeut loops, aud carbamide (urea), creatinine, and other metabolites are transferred by dialysis into the dialysis solution. For complete extraction of the metabolites, each hemodialysis session requires almost 200 L of this solution to be pumped through, so hemodialysis cau only be performed in a hospital setting. In machines equipped with electrochemical regeueratiou, the dialysis solutiou is ruu iu a closed loop, iucludiug au electrolyzer in which the carbamide is oxidized to nitrogen and carbon dioxide. The solution volume needed in this loop is rather small, so that portable kidney machines could become a reality. 

Nitrogen compounds commonly determined are creatinine, urea, and uric acid. Creatinine is an end product of the energy process occurring within the muscles, and is thus related to muscle mass. Creatinine in urine is commonly used as an indicator and correction factor of dilution in urine. Creatinine in serum is an indicator of the filtration capacity of the kidney. Urea is the end product of the nitrogen luea cycle, starting with carbon dioxide and ammonia, and is the bulk compoimd of urine. The production of uric acid is associated with the disease gout. In some cases, it appears that the excess of uric acid is a consequence of impaired renal excretion of this substance. 

Creatinine clearance < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (stages III-V chronic kidney disease), diabetes mellitus (with renal insufficiency), hypertension, chronic heart failure, cirrhosis, nephrosis, age >75 yr, cholesterol emboli syndrome, multiple myeloma (questionable)... 

Saline laxatives containing magnesium, potassium, or phosphates should be used cautiously in persons with reduced kidney function. Monitor appropriate serum electrolyte concentrations in patients with unstable renal function evidenced by changing serum creatinine or creatinine clearance. 

O Equations to estimate creatinine clearance that incorporate a single creatinine concentration (e.g., Cockcroft-Gault) may underestimate or overestimate kidney function depending on whether acute renal failure is worsening or resolving. 

Several equations have been developed to assess unstable kidney function. The Jelliffe equation (Table 22-1) estimates creatinine clearance by considering the change in serum creatinine over a specified time period.11 While it is more mathematically difficult to calculate, it better estimates creatinine clearance in patients with rapidly changing kidney function compared to an equation that only includes a single creatinine concentration. 

A 73-year-old man with a history of diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, gout, osteoarthritis, and hypertension is hospitalized with possible urosepsis. He recently completed a 10-day course of antibiotics and was ready for discharge when his morning labs showed an increase in BUN and serum creatinine concentration. Upon examination, he was found to have 2+ pitting edema, weight gain, nausea, elevated blood pressure, and rales on chest auscultation. 

Assess kidney function by evaluating a patient s signs and symptoms, laboratory test results, and urinary indices. Calculate a patient s creatinine clearance to evaluate the severity of kidney disease. 

The therapeutic dose of acamprosate is 666 mg orally three times daily, and it is supplied as a 333 mg tablet. It can be started at the full dose in most patients without titration. It differs from disulfiram and naltrexone in that it is excreted by the kidneys without liver metabolism. Consequently, it is contraindicated in patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance less than or equal to 30 mL/minute), and dose reduction is necessary when the creatinine clearance is between 30 and 50 mL/minute. The most common side effects are gastrointestinal and include nausea and diarrhea. Rates of suicidal thoughts were also increased in patients treated for 1 year with acamprosate (2.4%) versus placebo (0.8%). If necessary the total daily dose maybe decreased by 1 to 3 tablets (333-999 mg) per day to alleviate side effects. 

Creatinine A waste product in the blood produced from the breakdown of protein by-products generated by muscle in the body or ingested in the diet. The kidneys filter blood to remove creatinine and maintain homeostasis. A decline in kidney function results in an increase in creatinine. 

Mineral Oil Hydraulic Fluids. The only information regarding renal effects in humans or animals following inhalation, oral, or dermal exposure to mineral oil hydraulic fluids are two animal studies. Histopathological examination of the kidneys from rats exposed to < 1.0 mg/m3 of the water-in-oil emulsion hydraulic fluid Houghto-Safe 5047F for 90 days, 23 hours/day, showed no treatment-related lesions (Kinkead et al. 1991). Persistent diuresis, and increased protein and protein/creatinine ratios in the urine were reported in rats orally exposed to 1,000 mg/kg/day MIL-H-5606 for 26 days (Mattie et al. 

Although determination of creatinine clearance rate is a standard clinical procedure, it is difficult to carry out mainly because accurate collection of total urine output over a 24-hour period is required. It can never be certain that this requirement has been met. Since creatinine is produced continuously in muscle and is cleared by the kidney, renal failure is characterized by elevated serum creatinine levels. The degree of elevation is directly related to the degree of renal failure—if it is assumed that the production of creatinine in the muscle mass is constant and that renal function is stable. When these assumptions are valid, there is a direct relationship between serum creatinine level and kanamycin half-life, as shown in Fig. 9. The equation of the line in Fig. 9 is... 

Lee, J., Hollyer, R., Rodelas, R., Preuss, H. G., The influence of trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, and creatinine on renal organic anion and cation transport in rat kidney tissue, Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 1981, 58, 184-193. 

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