Accuracy of creatinine clearance in measuring glomerular filtration rate in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus without clinical evidence of renal disease.

We sought to determine whether creatinine clearance (Ccr) gives an accurate measurement of the glomerular filtration rate in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with no clinical evidence of renal disease. Eighteen such SLE patients underwent measurement of Ccr and 99mtechnetium-DTPA clearance (CDTPA). The mean +/- SD Ccr:CDTPA ratio was 1.12 +/- 0.15 (95% confidence interval 1.04-1.20). These results indicate that Ccr gives an accurate measurement of the glomerular filtration rate in the majority of SLE patients who do not have clinical evidence of renal disease.