The test measures the level of the substance creatinine in the blood and is a measure of how well the kidneys are working. Creatinine is a breakdown product of creatine phosphate found in muscle mass. Creatinine is normally excreted at an even rate via the kidneys, but if these do not function optimally, creatinine accumulates in the blood and the measured value rises.
Albumin is formed in the liver and is the body’s most abundant protein. Albumin’s main task is to transport other proteins and substances in the bloodstream. Albumin is also important for the liquid to stay in the blood instead of ending up in the tissues and causing swelling, so-called oedema.
Calcium is an element found in many different places in the body. 99% of all calcium is stored in our bones, but a small part is also found in the blood. The calcium concentration in the blood reflects to some extent the calcium metabolism in the body. Calcium is important for bones and teeth but also for muscle and nerve cells to function normally.
Potassium is a mineral substance and one of the body’s salts or electrolytes. It is of great importance for the majority of different functions in the body, such as that the nervous system and muscle work work optimally. Along with other electrolytes such as sodium, potassium helps regulate the amount of fluid in the body and is part of the acid-base balance.
Sodium is a mineral that is of great importance for the regulation of the body’s fluid and salt balance. It is also important for our cells to function normally. The sodium level in the body is meticulously regulated and this regulation takes place via several different organs, for example the brain, heart, kidneys and adrenal glands.
Cystatin C is a protein that is formed in the body’s cells and is filtered and excreted via the kidneys. This means that it is also a good measure of kidney function. As cystatin C is not affected by the person’s muscle mass, gender or food intake (especially meat intake), it is a better marker for estimating kidney function than creatinine, especially in people with very high or low muscle mass. By analyzing cystatin C, you can also detect a mild impairment of kidney function earlier, long before the creatinine value starts to rise.
Chloride, or chloride ion (Cl-), belongs to a group called electrolytes, which also includes sodium and potassium. Chloride has a number of functions in the human body, and acts in interaction with other electrolytes, among other things, for the body’s cells to function normally and in regulating the body’s fluid and salt balance. Together with hydrogen, chloride forms the stomach’s stomach acid (hydrogen chloride), which is important for digestion and defense against bacteria and other microorganisms. Chloride is found in most foods, mostly in common table salt such as sodium chloride, and the body regulates the levels of chloride in the blood on its own.
GFR, which stands for Glomerular Filtration Rate, is a measure of kidney function. The value shows the kidneys’ ability to filter the blood, and you then get an idea of how well the kidneys’ ability to clean the blood from waste products works. eGFR (Cyst C) is an estimated value of kidney function calculated based on your value of cystatin C as well as your age and gender. The higher the cystatin C, the lower the eGFR and the worse the kidney function.
Phosphate is found in a variety of different places in the body and is an important component in e.g. skeleton, DNA molecules and for the cells’ energy production and signaling. The level in plasma is mainly controlled by activated vitamin D, parathyroid hormone and growth factors.
