Egfr

An eGFR result looks precise, but it is an estimate rather than a direct measurement of filtration. Its clinical meaning comes from four questions: Is the creatinine at steady state? Is the abnormality persistent? Is the value changing over time? What does the urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio show? Canadian laboratories report eGFR in mL/min/1.73 m² using a race-free adult equation. The value is indexed to a standard body surface area, so it is useful for comparing kidney function across patients but is not automatically the patient's absolute clearance for every drug decision. When body composition, illness, or a medication makes creatinine misleading, confirm the estimate before acting on a high-consequence threshold. At the bedside, a low eGFR is a signal to investigate rather than a diagnosis by itself. Pair it with the trend in creatinine, urine output, albuminuria, blood pressure, volume status, potassium, and acid-base status. A single abnormal result may represent acute kidney injury, medication-related creatinine elevation, or biological variation; persistent abnormality over at least 3 months supports CKD.