Specific creatinine determination in laboratory animals using the new enzymatic test kit "Creatinine-PAP"

The new Creatinine-PAP test kit from Boehringer Mannheim GmbH was evaluated for the determination of creatinine in dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, and mice. In comparison with methods based on the reaction with alkaline picrate, the enzymatic method gave the lowest serum creatinine values. The differences are caused by serum substances (non-creatinine chromogens) reacting with picric acid. Noticeable differences between the standard inulin clearance and creatinine clearance (e. g., in rats) arise because the non-creatinine chromogens interfere differently in the picric acid methods, and serum and urine contain different concentrations of interfering substances. The concentrations of non-creatinine chromogens are different in the various laboratory animals. Since these substances cannot be entirely removed (e. g., in rats, dogs) by the adsorption procedure with Fuller's earth, we recommend the peroxidase-coupled enzymatic test as a practical and specific method for routine measurements of creatinine in laboratory animals.