Kidney
eGFR
What This Marker Tells Us
Calculates kidney filtration capacity from creatinine, age, sex, and race, providing the gold standard assessment of kidney function.
Why It Matters
eGFR quantifies how well kidneys filter waste from blood, enabling early detection of kidney disease before symptoms appear. Kidney function decline is often silent until advanced, when intervention options are limited. eGFR predicts cardiovascular disease, mortality, medication dosing needs, and progression to kidney failure requiring dialysis. Higher eGFR indicates better kidney health and longer healthspan. Preserving kidney function prevents cascading health complications.
How to Interpret Your Trends
Normal eGFR (above 90 mL/min/1.73m²) indicates excellent kidney function. Mildly reduced eGFR (60-89) may be normal for age but warrants monitoring. Moderately reduced (30-59) indicates significant kidney disease requiring intervention. Severely reduced (15-29) signals advanced kidney disease approaching kidney failure. Very low eGFR (below 15) indicates kidney failure requiring dialysis or transplant.
What Influences This Marker
Muscle mass, age, sex, and race affect baseline eGFR calculations. Dehydration temporarily lowers eGFR. Diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and metabolic syndrome accelerate kidney function decline. NSAIDs, certain medications, and toxins damage kidneys. Blood pressure control, glucose management, weight loss, adequate hydration, and avoiding nephrotoxins preserve function.
How Your Team Uses It
Your team uses eGFR to monitor kidney health and guide interventions protecting function. Declining eGFR triggers blood pressure optimization, glucose control, protein intake adjustment, and medication review. It determines medication dosing and frequency of monitoring. Maintaining eGFR above 60 prevents complications and preserves quality of life.
Related Signals We Also Review
Creatinine, BUN, urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio, blood pressure, glucose, electrolytes, and cardiovascular risk markers complete the kidney health assessment.