Serum Creatinine and BUN Levels in Kidney Function Tests

Kidney function test, also known as renal function test is laboratory measurement of functional renal units. The common items in this test include urine sample, urine specific gravity, urinary sediment examination, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, non-protein nitrogen quantitative, etc.

The measuring of serum creatinine and BUN is common in renal function test and they both will increase in case of renal dysfunctions due to various renal parenchymal and renal vascular diseases.

BUN (blood urea nitrogen)

High BUN: nephritis, severe pyelonephritis, renal dysfunction, heart failure, shock, burns, hemorrhage, adrenal cortical hypothyroidism, prostatic hypertrophy, chronic urinary tract obstruction, etc.

Serum creatinine

High creatinine: renal failure, uremia, heart failure, gigantism, acromegaly, salicylates treatments, etc.

Low creatinine: progressive muscle atrophy, leukemia, anemia, etc.

BUN/creatinine

High level: reduced renal perfusion (dehydration, hypovolemic shock, congestive heart failure), urinary tract obstructive diseases, decomposition hypermetabolism, glomerular lesions, use of steroid hormones, etc.

Low level: acute tubular necrosis

Prior attention before renal function test: 3 days before the test, patients should have vegetarian diets and the daily protein intake should be less than 40g. This is because creatinine in the blood comes from both muscle metabolism and the metabolism of the meat products we eat. Thought the latter accounts for small part, it will affect the accuracy and stability of the test.

In addition, avoid doing strenuous activities before the test so as to reduce creatinine decomposition.

Preventive measures for protecting your kidney functions

In case of the following illness conditions, regular urine tests should be done to help have early detection of renal abnormalities so as to have early treatments and prevent advanced renal damages.

·Edema around the eyelid or in the face 1-3 weeks after colds, sore throat, tonsillitis, etc.

·Allergic diseases such as urticaria, allergic purpura, etc

·Skin infectious diseases

·Systemic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, connective tissue diseases, etc.

In addition, regular and reasonable diets and life habits are also very important for your kidney health. Avoid over-tiredness or over-eating.

Have more cautions before taking any medicines, weather it is antibiotics, hormones or herbal medicines, take it under the doctor’s permission and guidance with proper method and dosage and avoid taking renal toxicity drugs and medicines. This is especially important for those that have been diagnosed with kidney lesions.

If you still have any doubts, you can feel to contact me by E-mail renal-disease@hotmail.com,or WhatsApp / Viber:008615132830921.

Symptoms of High Creatinine Level in Kidney Failure

Creatinine can be divided into serum creatinine and urine creatinine. Usually it refers to serum creatinine when we say creatinine and it indicates the level of creatinine in the blood and is commonly adopted in clinic to measure patients’ kidney functions.

The normal creatinine level is 53-140 μmoI/L and higher than normal creatinine can cause a series of symptoms.

1. Edema (swelling)

Edema will begin with the eyelids and some patients may begin with lower limbs. In serious conditions, it will involve the whole body and cause chest water and ascites.

2. High blood pressure

High blood pressure is one of the signs of high creatinine.

3. Abnormalities in urination including urinary urgency, urinary frequency and urinary pain.

4. Dull back pain

In some conditions such as the underlying cause of kidney failure is renal cystic diseases, kidney stone or obstructive renal diseases, patients will suffer from back pain.

5. Hematuria

Hematuria is blood in urine

6. Diuresis

Daily urine output might exceed 2500ml and it is called diuresis.

7. Oliguria or anuria. Oliguria is less than 400ml urine volume and anuria is less than 100ml.

8. Bubbles in urine.

Bubbles in urine might indicates proteinuria and urinary protein qualitative test can confirm it.

Actually the above mentioned symptoms and discomforts are not caused by high creatinine which itself is a clinical manifestation and abnormal indicator of kidney failure. Therefore it should not be the ultimate goal to lower creatinine, more effective treatments should be sought to repair kidney damages and improving kidney functions. When kidney functions are improved, excessive creatinine and other metabolic wastes and toxins can be cleared from the blood and serum creatinine can drop accordingly and naturally.

If you still have any doubts, you can feel to contact me by E-mail renal-disease@hotmail.com,or WhatsApp / Viber:008615132830921.