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What Does My Blood Test Report Indicate?

Posted on Mon, 13 Feb 2017

Question: bun - 12 - normal
creatinine - 1.1 normal
bun/creatinine ratio 10.9 - low

My ratio has been low on my last 5 blood tests but the bun and creatinine have always been within normal limits.

What is the ratio used for and should I be concerned it is always low? My doctors never seem concerned since each are within normal limits by themselves.

Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Dr. P. T. Patil (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Low BUN/Creatinine ratio in a normal healthy individual has no significance

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for your query,based on the facts that you have posted it appears that you have persistently low BUN/Creatinine ratio.

I shall be happy if you can post me few more details to help me in making comments on your problem.
1) Are you in status of good health ?
2) Are you suspected to have any liver or kidney disease ?
3) Is your protein intake normal ?
4) Are you diabetic?

Urea is a end products of dietary and tissue protein metabolism where as Creatinine is an end product of muscle protein metabolism .Both these end products are excreted in urine by kidneys after going through complex process of filtration , re absorption etc.

There is vast variation in normal values of these end products (Urea and Creatinine )which depends upon the various factors like dietary intake and status of hydration , liver and kidney diseases and perfusion of the kidneys (Blood supply to kidneys).

This ration can be low even with values of both the components being normal in a certain conditions when urea component is low like less dietary intake ,liver diseases causing low production of urea by liver or when creatinine is high like
in myosistis etc .

The BUN /Creatinine ration is generally considered to be of importance to decide when it is higher than normal and helps to discriminate between Pre Renal or Acute kidney failure due to kidney diseases .

Low level BUN/Creatinine ration in a normal healthy individual has no significance at all and not to be worried for .

Hope I have answered your query ,please feel free to ask if you have more questions ,I shall be happy to help you
Thanks and Regards.
Dr.Patil.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. P. T. Patil (37 minutes later)

Thank you doctor. That concerns me a liitle though. I am obese but not on medication. I have very fatty liver. 2.5 years ago my gastro had me run throught a panel of tests, XXXXXXX , metabolic, iron, inr, lipid, genetic, cbc/diff and ct and two ultrasounds. All was good. I am not diabetic, and in decent....i guess shape. I unfortunately eat normal or a lot of protein. I did not know urea was produced in the liver.

Should I be scaried about this and my liver?

Thank you Doctor!

Answered by Dr. Dr. P. T. Patil (1 minute later)

Brief Answer:
Not to be worried about as long as you are enjoying good health

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for follow up .

Since you are in a good health there is nothing to be worried about .

Avoid taking fatty food .

Have a routine daily exercise as a routine in the morning

Thanks and Regards.
Dr.Patil.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. P. T. Patil (18 minutes later)

Working on it now doctor and thank you. I have lost 24 pounds In the last week and a half cut calories and only eating meats and vegetable and water with lemon. Working out everyday too. Just getting concerned with my weight, and liver.

Looked over my last labs and noticed this was always low and I new about creatinine, and the liver so I started to get concerned and asked.

Thank you for your piece of mind and have a good week Doc.

Answered by Dr. Dr. P. T. Patil (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Thanks for appreciation .

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for follow up .
Working out daily may be the reason for your low BUN /Creatinine ration due to muscle breakbreak down associated with exercise .

Continue it and reduce your weight .

If you have tme post your review about my comments and suggestions on the floor of XXXXXXX Crae Magic .com

Thanks and regards.
Dr.Patil.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar