You are monitoring a patient in your nephrology clinic whose serum creatinine concentration has risen from 1.0 to 4.0 mg/dL over a period of 5 years. Which of the following additional changes, compared with normal, would you expect to find in this patient? Assume steady-state conditions and that he has maintained the same diet.

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An increase in serum creatinine indicates decreased renal function. In this case, the patient's serum creatinine has risen fourfold over five years, indicating moderate renal impairment. With decreased renal function, the maximal urine concentrating ability would also be decreased as the kidneys are less able to concentrate urine. The other options (decreased filtered load of creatinine, decreased renal sodium excretion, alkalosis, and increased renal blood flow) would not be expected with decreased renal function.

You Are Monitoring a Patient in Your Nephrology Clinic Whose