In addition to serum creatinine, which lab value is commonly used as an indicator of kidney function?

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When evaluating kidney function, markers that reflect waste removal are key. Serum creatinine is a primary measure of glomerular filtration rate, but another commonly used indicator is blood urea nitrogen. Urea is produced in the liver from protein breakdown and cleared by the kidneys; as kidney function declines, urea accumulates, raising BUN. This makes BUN a useful companion to creatinine for assessing overall kidney function and hydration status. Keep in mind that BUN can be influenced by factors such as hydration, protein intake, and liver function, so clinicians often look at the BUN/creatinine ratio to help interpret results. The other options don’t serve as standard kidney-function indicators: hemoglobin relates to oxygen transport, ALT is a liver enzyme, and sodium is an electrolyte that can be affected by kidney function but does not directly measure filtration.