A nurse is caring for a client who has chronic glomerulonephritis. The nurse should expect to find a decrease in which of the following serum laboratory values?

A. RBC: Chronic glomerulonephritis often leads to anemia because the damaged kidneys produce less erythropoietin, a hormone necessary for red blood cell production. A decrease in RBC count is therefore an expected finding in this condition. B. Potassium: Potassium levels usually increase rather than decrease in chronic glomerulonephritis because of reduced kidney function and impaired excretion. Hyperkalemia is a common complication that requires close monitoring. C. Phosphate: Phosphate levels tend to rise in chronic kidney disease since the kidneys cannot excrete phosphate efficiently. This leads to hyperphosphatemia, which contributes to bone mineral imbalances, not a decrease. D. Creatinine: Creatinine levels increase in chronic glomerulonephritis because of impaired filtration and reduced clearance. Elevated serum creatinine is one of the key indicators of declining kidney function.