The creatinine clearance test helps provide information about how well the kidneys are working. The test compares the creatinine level in urine with the creatinine level in blood.
Creatinine is a chemical waste product of creatine. Creatine is a chemical the body makes to supply energy, mainly to muscles. By comparing the creatinine level in urine with the creatinine level in blood, this test estimates the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). GFR is a measure of how well the kidneys are working, especially the kidneys’ filtering units. These filtering units are called glomeruli.
Clearance is often measured as milliliters per minute (mL/min) or milliliters per second (mL/s). Normal values are:
Male: 97 to 137 mL/min (1.65 to 2.33 mL/s).
Female: 88 to 128 mL/min (14.96 to 2.18 mL/s).
