Creatinine levels : Deciphering Kidney Disease

The kidneys maintain the blood creatinine in a normal range. Creatinine has been found to be a fairly reliable indicator of kidney function. Elevated creatinine level signifies impaired kidney function or kidney disease. As the kidneys become impaired for any reason, the creatinine level in the blood will rise due to poor clearance of creatinine by the kidneys. Abnormally high levels of creatinine thus warn of possible malfunction or failure of the kidneys. It is for this reason that standard blood tests routinely check the amount of creatinine in the blood. A more precise measure of the kidney function can be estimated by calculating how much creatinine is cleared from the body by the kidneys. This is referred to as creatinine clearance and it estimates the rate of filtration by kidneys (glomerular filtration rate, or GFR). The creatinine clearance can be measured in two ways. It can be calculated (estimated) by a formula using serum (blood) creatinine level, patient's weight, and age. 

The formula is 140 minus the patient's age in years times their weight in kilograms (times 0.85 for women), divided by 72 times the serum creatinine level in mg/dL. Creatinine clearance can also be more directly measured by collecting a 24-hour urine sample and then drawing a blood sample. The creatinine levels in both urine and blood are determined and compared. Normal creatinine clearance for healthy women is 88-128 mL/min. and 97 to 137 mL/min. in males (normal levels may vary slightly between labs). Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level is another indicator of kidney function. Urea is also a metabolic byproduct which can build up if kidney function is impaired. 

The BUN-to-creatinine ratio generally provides more precise information about kidney function and its possible underlying cause compared with creatinine level alone. BUN also increases with dehydration.

 Chronic Kidney Disease Symptoms 

Early kidney disease is a silent problem, like high blood pressure, and does not have any symptoms. People may have CKD but not know it because they do not feel sick. A person's glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a measure of how well the kidneys are filtering wastes from the blood. GFR is estimated from a routine measurement of creatinine in the blood. The result is called the estimated GFR (eGFR). 

Creatinine is a waste product formed by the normal breakdown of muscle cells. Healthy kidneys take creatine out of the blood and put it into the urine to leave the body. When the kidneys are not working well, creatinine builds up in the blood. 

□ What are normal blood creatinine levels? 

Normal levels of creatinine in the blood are approximately 0.6 to 1.2 milligrams (mg) per deciliter (dL) in adult males and 0.5 to 1.1 milligrams per deciliter in adult females. (In the metric system, a milligram is a unit of weight equal to one- thousandth of a gram, and a deciliter is a unit of volume equal to one-tenth of a liter.)

 A person with only one kidney may have a normal level of about 1.8 or 1.9.Creatinine levels that reach 2.0 or more in babies and 5.0 or more in adults may indicate severe kidney impairment. 

The need for a dialysis machine to remove wastes from the blood is based upon several considerations including the BUN, creatinine level, the potassium level and how much fluid the patient is retaining. 

Role of Homoeopathy 

Kidney disease is becoming fairly common all over the world. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global threat to health in general and for developing countries in particular, because therapy is expensive and life-long. In India <"90% patients cannot afford the cost. Over 1 million people worldwide are alive on dialysis or with a functioning graft. Incidence of CKD has doubled in the last 15 years. 

According to a WHO report, Kidney diseases are associated with an estimated 188 million cases of catastrophic health expenditure in low- and middle-income countries. The scale of the burden associated with this condition in these countries demands action. Kidney diseases disproportionately affect disadvantaged populations and reduce the number of active years of life from undergoing treatment. Furthermore the prospect of financial burden discourages patients from undergoing treatment, thereby leading to preventable morbidity and death.

Homoeopathy can play a significant role here as it is an inexpensive mode of therapy and is effective in managing kidney diseases harmlessly. Homoeopathy plays a preventive role too as it can arrest further damage to the kidneys with proper medicines, in consultation with a qualified homeopath. 

Anti Miasmatic treatment as well as constitutional treatment both need a proper case taking and analysis for which consultation is necessary. However here are three specific medicines for kidney health: 

• Berberis vulgaris - According to a study on the anti-urolithiasis potential of ultra- diluted homeopathic potency of Berberis vulgaris (B. vulgaris) root bark, commonly used in homeopathic system to treat renal calculi, increased levels of stone formation were normalized by B. vulgaris treatment, the decrease in the urolithiasis inhibitor magnesium in urine was prevented by treatment with B. Vulgaris, serum creatinine levels were largely normalized by B. vulgaris treatment and Hyperoxaluria induced renal damage was prevented by B. vulgaris treatment. 

• Convallaria majalis:  According to a study to evaluate the effect of Convallaria majalis on kidney function.. C. majalis (CM) commonly called as Lily of the valley is a Homeopathic remedy having valuable action on heart and also has diuretic action. 

• Serum Anguillae:-  It is one of the best remedies for high levels of creatinine in blood. It is very effective in acute nephritis. Kidney failure. It is prescribed when hypertension and oliguria without oedema is present. Urine contains albumin.