Creatinine: a review.

Measurement of creatinine has many applications. We review the determination of urinary creatinine as a valid index of completeness of 24-h urine collection, the clinical utility of the determination of creatinine clearance ratios, and measurement of the ratio of the clearance of specific analytes, such as amylase, to the ratio of clearance of creatinine. The chemistry and variables that affect the Jaffé reaction are reviewed, and attempts at improvement of specificity are discussed. We also review and assess techniques other than the Jaffé reaction for measurement of creatinine.