Why is a plasma/serum creatinine level from a chemistry panel not an accurate measure of renal function in older adults and how can you obtain a more accurate measure of GFR?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for the reasons why plasma or serum creatinine levels are not reliable indicators of kidney function specifically in older adults, and is also seeking methods or tests that can provide a more accurate assessment of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR).
Answer
Serum creatinine is affected by multiple factors; use 24-hour creatinine clearance for accurate GFR.
The final answer is that plasma/serum creatinine levels are influenced by factors such as age, gender, muscle mass, diet, and medications, making them inaccurate for assessing renal function in older adults. A more accurate measure of GFR can be obtained using 24-hour creatinine clearance or other methods.
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is that plasma/serum creatinine levels are influenced by factors such as age, gender, muscle mass, diet, and medications, making them inaccurate for assessing renal function in older adults. A more accurate measure of GFR can be obtained using 24-hour creatinine clearance or other methods.
More Information
Older adults often have reduced muscle mass, and medications that block tubular secretion of creatinine are more common in this population, affecting the accuracy of serum creatinine levels in indicating renal function.
Tips
A common mistake is to rely solely on serum creatinine without considering a comprehensive assessment such as the 24-hour creatinine clearance.
Sources
- Renal Function Tests - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Creatinine test - Mayo Clinic - mayoclinic.org
- The web page with info on - Example Source - asn-online.org
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