
The renal clearance ratio or fractional excretion is a relative measure of the speed at which a constituent of
urine
Urine is a liquid by-product of metabolism in humans and many other animals. In placental mammals, urine flows from the Kidney (vertebrates), kidneys through the ureters to the urinary bladder and exits the urethra through the penile meatus (mal ...
passes through the
kidney
In humans, the kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped blood-filtering organ (anatomy), organs that are a multilobar, multipapillary form of mammalian kidneys, usually without signs of external lobulation. They are located on the left and rig ...
s.
It is defined by following equation:
:
* X is the
analyte
An analyte, component (in clinical chemistry), titrand (in titrations), or chemical species is a substance or chemical constituent that is of interest in an analytical procedure. The remainder of the sample is called the matrix. The procedure ...
substance
* C
x is the
renal plasma clearance of X
* C
in is the renal plasma clearance of
inulin
Inulins are a group of naturally occurring polysaccharides produced by many types of plants, industrially most often extracted from chicory. The inulins belong to a class of dietary fibers known as fructans. Inulin is used by some plants as a ...
.
Creatinine
Creatinine (; ) is a breakdown product of creatine phosphate from muscle and protein metabolism. It is released at a constant rate by the body (depending on muscle mass).
Biological relevance
Serum creatinine (a blood measurement) is an impor ...
is sometimes used instead of inulin as the reference substance; for example, the calcium-creatinine clearance ratio is used in an attempt to distinguish between different causes of a high plasma calcium concentration.
It is easier to use creatinine rather than inulin as the comparator as creatinine is produced by the body, whereas inulin has to be intravenously infused.
See also
*
Clearance (pharmacology)
*
Kt/V
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Renal Clearance Ratio
Nephrology