Clinical Evaluation of Kidney Function

THE clinical value of tests of organ function can be assessed by weighing factors such as validity and accuracy against other factors such as availability, convenience, risk and expense. As tests of glomerular function, the time-honored measurements of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen must still be considered the preferred routine methods. Inulin clearances and recently introduced isotopic clearances1 2 3 4 are valid and accurate indexes of glomerular filtration rate (GFR), but none of these technics share with creatinine and urea measurements the important features of convenience, low cost, negligible risk and widespread availability.Both creatinine and urea are handled largely by . . .