Understanding of the role of serum creatinine in a subset of the Brazilian population.

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease is usually asymptomatic, and its diagnosis depends on laboratory tests, with emphasis on serum creatinine and proteinuria.

Objective: To assess knowledge on the role of serum creatinine as a biomarker of kidney function in a sample of the Brazilian population.

Method: Cross-sectional observational study conducted in São Paulo (SP, Brazil), in which a random adult population was interviewed.