title: Assessing renal function with a rapid, handy, point-of-care whole blood creatinine meter before using contrast materials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this prospective study was to assess the reliability of a rapid, handy, point-of-care whole blood creatinine meter (PCM) in patients who were scheduled to undergo contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Among patients scheduled to undergo contrast-enhanced CT or MRI examinations, 113 patients who did not have creatinine data from the prescribed intervals before the examination day (in principle, 90 days for scheduled outpatients and 7 days for inpatients and urgent patients) were included. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using the creatinine values measured with the PCM and those from central laboratory measurements (LAB). The two eGFR values were compared statistically with the paired t-test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and the Bland-Altman analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean eGFR measured with the PCM was slightly higher than the LAB value (81.2 ± 24.6 vs. 70.2 ± 19.7 ml/min/1.73 m(2), P < 0.0001). They were well correlated (r = 0.74, y = 0.92x + 16.9, P < 0.0001). Bland-Altman plots (mean difference was 11.0 ml/min/1.73 m(2); limits of agreement were -22.4 to +44.4 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) showed a moderate agreement with some degree of dispersion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PCM can rapidly assess renal function using a small amount of blood almost equally to that of determined in the laboratory, which may help reduce the risk of contrast material-induced complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Medical Center East, 2-1-10 Nishiogu, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo 116-8567, Japan. i@imodey.com
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Kazufumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Ai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masukawa
authors.forename: Eiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ueno
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003287:Contrast Media; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D003404:Creatinine