Elevated creatinine after ingestion of model aviation fuel: Interference with the Jaffe reaction by nitromethane

A 2 years 9 month-old-boy who ingested model aviation fuel was found to hav e an elevated serum creatinine concentration of 0.53 mmol/L (normal range 0 .02-0.05 mmol/L) by the Jaffe (alkaline picrate) reaction. However, when th e creatinine concentration was measured using a specific enzymatic assay, i t was within the normal range. It was shown that nitromethane, a constituen t of aviation fuel, interferes with the Jaffe reaction, leading to a falsel y elevated creatinine reading. This phenomenon has been reported only once previously and, despite its potential clinical importance, nitromethane doe s not appear in published lists of substances that interfere with the Jaffe reaction.