Chonnam Med J.  2002 Dec;38(4):383-387.

Usefulness of Serum Creatinine Level in Evaluating Nephropathy Risk Group after Spinal Cord Injury

• Ju SR
• Han JY
• Kim JH
• Cheon SW
• Lee SG
• Rowe SM
• Oh BR
• Ryu SB

Abstract

Early detection and management of the anatomical deterioration of urinary tract in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) is important because of the risk of progressing to nephropathy unnoticed. Many physicians commonly use the blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine level for the assessment of renal function. However, the usefulness of renal function study is not fully verified yet in SCI patients with anatomical abnormality of urinary tract. In thirty-one SCI patients (mean age: 45+/-11 years, mean post-injury duration: 13+/-11 years), we investigated and performed the renal function study, voiding cystourethrogrphy and the intravenous pyelography. Nephropathy risk group was defined as the subjects with anatomical abnormality of urinary tract such as any vesicoureteral reflux or hydronephrosis regardless of severity. Nephropathy risk group were compared to no risk group in serum creatinine level according to age and post-injury duration. There were no significant differences in serum creatinine level, in terms of age and post-injury duration, between nephropathy risk group and no risk group. Andso we think that serum creatinine level does not provide useful criteria in detecting the nephropathy risk group among SCI patients.

Keyword

Serum creatinine; Nephropathy; Spinal cord injury

MeSH Terms

Blood Urea Nitrogen
Creatinine*
Humans
Hydronephrosis
Spinal Cord Injuries*
Spinal Cord*
Urinary Tract
Urography
Vesico-Ureteral Reflux
Creatinine