Serum Creatinine, Muscle Mass, and Nutritional Status in Intensive Care

Skeletal muscle places a vital role in regulating immune function, glucose disposer, protein synthesis, and mobility. This massive dynamic reservoir of proteins, minerals, and other metabolites could be cannibalized, and a loss of skeletal muscle may predispose impaired tissue hailing and few poor immune functions. Several studies had shown the reduced survival rates and the increased hospital lengths of stay of patients who have a poor nutrition status and low muscle mass. In addition, few studies have demonstrated the effect of muscle wasting on serum creatinine. There are no data available regarding its effect on serum creatinine, and moreover, ICU-acquired myopathy is rarely recognized because of insufficient diagnostic criteria or methodological limitations. Despite these limits, serum creatinine is still considered the standard for assessing acute changes in renal function. The present chapter details the existing evidence related to the effects of nutritional status and muscle wasting on serum creatinine based on recent evidences.