Library · Test
Estimated glomerular filtration rate
Make it clearer
Estimated glomerular filtration rate, or eGFR, approximates how well the kidneys filter blood. Picture estimating a filter's performance from indirect signals instead of measuring every drop that passes through it.
The calculation can use substances in the blood such as creatinine and cystatin C. Combining both can improve the estimate, but it remains an estimate. That is why several values over time can provide more context than a single number.
In brief
Estimated glomerular filtration rate, or eGFR, is a calculation that approximates how well the kidneys filter blood. It does not measure filtration directly and is not an exact measure of kidney function.
eGFR estimates the performance of the kidney filter.
Equations can use creatinine, cystatin C, or other variables to produce the estimate; combining creatinine and cystatin C often improves it. Because every estimate has a margin of error, a trend over time may provide more context than a single isolated value.
Sources (1)
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney DiseaseseGFR Calculators for Adults & Pediatrics
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated