An investigation of urinary creatine excretion as a potential marker for testicular damage.

1. This study assessed urinary creatine excretion as a marker for testicular atrophy. 2. Male rats received a single i.p. dose of 2-methoxyethanol at 0, 250 or 750 mg kg-1 and were sacrificed 2 d later. Urinary creatine and creatinine excretion were measured on days 0, 1 and 2. 3. Decreased testicular weights and histopathological assessment revealed dose-related testicular damage. 4. On day 1, at both doses of 2-methoxyethanol, urinary creatine levels increased and creatinine levels decreased, resulting in a dose-related increase in the creatine/creatinine ratio. On day 2, the creatine/creatinine ratio was elevated relative to controls, but was less marked than on day 1. 5. The study confirmed that creatine excretion is a potential marker for acute testicular damage.