Evaluation of elevated creatinine

Last reviewed: 10 Nov 2024
Last updated: 14 Mar 2024

Summary

Differentials

Common

  • Glomerulonephritis
  • Diabetic nephropathy
  • Systemic vasculitis
  • Drug-related creatinine increase
  • Contrast-induced acute kidney injury
  • Shock
  • Volume depletion
  • Hypertension
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Preeclampsia
  • Acute interstitial nephritis
  • Acute tubular necrosis
  • Cardiac surgery
  • Nephrectomy
  • Renal transplant rejection
  • Biologic serum creatinine variation
Full details

Uncommon

  • Renal vein thrombosis
  • Radiation therapy
  • Endogenous nephrotoxins (myoglobin, uric acid, calciphylaxis)
  • Renal artery stenosis
  • Traumatic renal infarction
  • Multiple cholesterol emboli syndrome
  • Obstructive uropathy
  • Creatine supplementation
  • Inherited kidney disease
  • Methodologic variations of measurement of creatinine
  • Assay-interfering substances
Full details

Contributors

Authors

Michiko Shimada, MD, PhD, FASN
Michiko Shimada

Associate Professor of Medicine

Division of Cardiology, Respiratory Medicine, and Nephrology

Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine

Hirosaki

Japan

Disclosures

MS declares that she has no competing interests.

Bhagwan Dass, MD, FACP, FASN
Bhagwan Dass

Professor of Medicine

University of Florida

Gainesville

FL

Disclosures

BD declares that he has no competing interests.

A. Ahsan Ejaz, MD, FASN
A. Ahsan Ejaz

Professor of Medicine

Division of Nephrology

University of Maryland

VA Maryland Healthcare

Baltimore

MD

Disclosures

AAE declares that he has no competing interests.

Acknowledgements

Dr Michiko Shimada, Dr Bhagwan Dass, and Dr A. Ahsan Ejaz would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Puneet Sood, a previous contributor to this topic.

Disclosures

PS declares that he has no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Janson Leung, MD

Consultant Nephrologist

Royal Derby Hospital

Derby

UK

Disclosures

JL has been reimbursed by Abbott for attending several conferences. JL has also received a fee from Shire for attending an advisory board meeting.

Zvi Talor, MD, FACP

Professor of Medicine

Division of Nephrology, Hypertension and Transplantation

University of Florida

Gainesville

FL

Disclosures

ZT declares that he has no competing interests.

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