In 2009, the Chronic Kidney Disease - Epidemiology equation was first reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine (Levey, 2009). This equation added additional factors, using a two-spline model in its estimates of GFR to improve accuracy. It is now the primary equation recommended for use in estimating GFR by international experts (KDIGO, 2013).
The 2020 task force established new guidelines for calculating the GFR eliminating race as a determinant, and final recommendations were released in 2021. This updated equation is now the recommended method for estimating GFR in adults.
Key characteristics include:
- Designed for use with laboratory creatinine values that are standardized to IDMS
- Estimates GFR from serum creatinine, age, and sex
- More accurate than the MDRD Equation, particularly in people with higher levels of GFR
- More accurate at GFR >60 mL/min/m2
- Validated in age groups that exceeded that of the MDRD
- Continues to exhibit inaccuracies in very young patients
eGFR = 142 x min(SCr/κ, 1)α x max(SCr/κ, 1)-1.200 x 0.993Age x 1.012 [if female]
- κ = 0.7 (female) or 0.9 (male)
- α = -0.241 (female) or -0.302 (male)
- Age (years)
