which diagnostic test detect the stage of kidney disease ? Urine for micro albumin or GFR?

which diagnostic test detect the stage of kidney disease ? Urine for micro albumin or GFR?GFR means Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)

Posted by Lab Guy
Microalbumin is an early indicator.

You wouldn't need it if one used GFR. If you wait until you lose half your kidney function in detecting fluctuations in creatinine used for GFR calculations then you waited too long before starting interventions.

Microalbumin is for detecting early kidney damage before greater damage is done to the kidneys and yes kidney disease is staged based on the GFR once you get severe kidney damage.

Just to make a correction about the calculated GFR based on the creatinine value. The Kidney Foundation on their site below states,

"NOTE: The estimated GFR values above 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 should be interpreted as "above 60 mL/min/1.73 m2," not an exact number."

That's because those numbers above 60 are inaccurate when using the formula. When the formula is used one reports it out as greater than 60 and one can not distinguish between stage one or two. One needs an actual measurement of gromerular filtration within this group of early kidney function or one can use the microalbumin.

Sorry didn't mean to make it complicated.

Posted by Gary B
Quote from the National Kidney Foundation:
"GFR - glomerular filtration rate is the best test to measure your level of kidney function and determine your stage of kidney disease. Your doctor can calculate it from the results of your blood creatinine test, your age, race, gender and other factors."
http://www.kidney.org/kidneydisease/ckd/knowGFR.cfm

GFR is figured by taking a blood CREATININE test, and then GFR is figured using a simple mathematical formula that considers your age, weight, sex, and ethnicity.

The result are like this:
Disease
Stage....Description.................................................GFR
1...........Kidney damage (protein in the urine).............More than 90
2...........Kidney damage and mild decrease in GFR....60 to 89
3...........Moderate decrease in GFR..........................30 to 59
4...........Severe decrease in GFR..............................15 to 29
5...........Kidney failure...................................................Less than 15
.............(dialysis or kidney transplant needed)

Posted by Dr.John L
Initially createnine, then albumen

What do you think? Answer below! Learn basic information on kidney disease from the experts at Kidney Disease Info Blog.

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