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Stability of urine creatinine
F W Spierto1, W H Hannon, E W Gunter
1Division of Environmental Health Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. fwsl@cehehll.em.cdc.gov
Summary
Urinary creatinine measurements are reliable for most studies. Urine creatinine levels remain stable during typical storage times and temperatures, unaffected unless exposed to extreme heat for extended periods.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Chemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Urinary creatinine measurement is crucial for normalizing other urinary analytes.
- Urine flow variability necessitates reliable creatinine normalization for accurate results.
- The stability of urine creatinine under various storage conditions is vital for reliable analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of storage duration and temperature on urine creatinine levels.
- To determine the reliability of urine creatinine measurements for normalization purposes.
Main Methods:
- Urine specimens from 10 healthy adults were analyzed.
- Samples were subjected to varying storage times and temperatures.
- Urine creatinine concentrations were measured and compared.
Main Results:
- Urine creatinine levels showed minimal change under typical storage conditions.
- Significant decreases in urine creatinine were observed only after prolonged storage at high temperatures (30 days at 55°C).
- Storage for 2 days at 55°C resulted in less than a 3% decrease in urine creatinine.
Conclusions:
- Urine creatinine measurements are robust and generally unaffected by storage time and temperature.
- Standard laboratory storage conditions are suitable for maintaining the integrity of urine creatinine levels for analytical purposes.