Alpha Medical Lab

Creatinine, Random Urine

Ordered Test Code:

UCREA

Lab Test Component	Requirement
Test Name	Creatinine, Random Urine
Alpha’s Order Test Code	UCREA
Specimen Collection Tube	Sterile cup/10mL
Collection Tube Handling	Urine collected in urinalysis transport tube (yellow-top, blue fill line, preservative tube) • Preserved urine with 6N HCl acid submitted in a plastic, urine container
Minimum Volume	0.5mL
Transport Temperture	Refrigerated
Stability	Refrigerated: 7 days; Frozen: 28 days
Collection Instructions	10 mL random urine, no preservative

Clinical Significance

Creatinine is the endproduct of creatine metabolism. Creatine is present primarily in muscle and the amount of creatinine produced is related to total skeletal muscle mass. Daily creatinine production is fairly constant except when there is massive injury to muscle. The kidneys excrete creatinine very efficiently and blood levels and daily urinary excretion of creatinine fluctuates very little in healthy normal people. Since blood and daily urine excretion of creatinine shows minimal fluctuation, creatinine excretion is useful in determining whether 24-hour urine specimens for other analytes (e.g., protein) have been completely and accurately collected.