Can infection increase creatinine level?
Dr Vijay Kher
Chairman,
Department of Nephrology and Kidney transplant Medicine,
Fortis Kidney and Urology Institute,
Fortis Escorts Hospital, New Delhi
Chairman,
Department of Nephrology and Kidney transplant Medicine,
Fortis Kidney and Urology Institute,
Fortis Escorts Hospital, New Delhi
Q: I have been having a cold since a week. My creatinine level increased from 1.1 to 1.3 (whereas the reference range is 0.8-1.25). I am 30 years old and underwent kidney transplantation 3 years back. Is the increase in creatinine level due to the cold? Will it come back to normal? I am taking Actifed for cold.
A:Infections can cause acute rise in urea and creatinine. However fluctuations of 1.1 to 1.3 could be within the co-efficient of variation limit for creatinine even in very good labs. Unless it is consistently higher and both urea and creatinine go up to a similar degree, it may be a result of lab variation, which should return to normal.