Novel monitoring of renal function and medication levels in saliva and capillary blood of patients with kidney disease.

Purpose Of Review: Serum creatinine, urea, and cystatin C are the main biomarkers used to estimate glomerular filtration rates in persons with and without chronic kidney disease (CKD). Frequent measurements of these assays are needed to identify patients with earlier stages of CKD, detect episodes of acute kidney injury (AKI), and monitor for CKD progression. However, the cumbersome, time-consuming nature of conventional laboratory-based kidney function assays limit more frequent monitoring and greater patient self-management.