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Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)

A number on a kidney blood test report that estimates how well the kidneys filter waste. It is worked out from a blood test, usually creatinine, and it is used to find kidney disease, to see how serious it is and to follow it.

Also called eGFR · Estimated GFR

  • Biomarker
  • In this atlas

Overview

Technical summary

Estimate of glomerular filtration rate from serum creatinine, cystatin C or both, with age and sex. A 2021 paper developed equations that leave out race and found the creatinine and cystatin C equations more accurate than creatinine-only equations in validation data. eGFR ranges set who could enter FLOW, FIDELIO-DKD, DAPA-CKD and EMPA-KIDNEY, and eGFR declines are part of their kidney outcomes.

What is measured

Measure
An estimate of the rate at which the kidneys filter blood, per 1.73 m2 of body surface area, calculated from a blood test.
Assay context
Usually calculated from a creatinine blood test; some people have cystatin C measured instead. A measured GFR (mGFR) test is used where an estimate is unreliable.

Interpretation

  • Description Evidence stage not applicable Certainty not assessed

    MedlinePlus says eGFR and mGFR tests are used to see if the kidneys are filtering waste at a healthy rate. An eGFR test is used to screen for kidney disease in people without symptoms, to help diagnose it in people who have symptoms, to help find out how serious kidney disease is, and to monitor people being treated for chronic kidney disease. The page says the provider can find eGFR by measuring creatinine levels, for example in a basic metabolic panel.

    Applies to Adult
    • Adults with chronic kidney disease, or at higher risk of it, for example because of diabetes or high blood pressure.
    • Not stated; patient information pages
    • Not stated; United States federal health agencies
    • Adults
    Follow-up Not applicable (descriptive page)
    Certainty method
    Not assessed
    Limitations
    A patient-information page from the National Library of Medicine. The passages read give no eGFR values or stage thresholds, so this atlas gives none.
    Last checked
    2026-10-14
    Next evidence check due
    Not scheduled
    Sources and citations (3)

    1. Supports MedlinePlus medical test: Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) Test

      Webpage · U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus) · Edition MedlinePlus page fetched 2026-10-14; the page footer says last updated September 30, 2026.

      Locator
      What is it used for?, para 1
      How it applies
      What the tests are for.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      159b2f634d33619df9137836f16dbbbd8883c335db915bd000da1658fc944446
      Reuse basis
      The MedlinePlus page on using its content (fetched 2026-10-14 as ch-medlineplus-usingcontent.html, sha256 31267ce9db01, hash only) says works produced by the federal government are not copyrighted, and lists summaries on health topic pages and medical test information as public domain; A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia articles are copyrighted, and this atlas cites none. Please acknowledge MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, as the source. The raw page is committed at research/snapshots/ch-medlineplus-gfr-test.html.

    2. Supports MedlinePlus medical test: Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) Test

      Webpage · U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus) · Edition MedlinePlus page fetched 2026-10-14; the page footer says last updated September 30, 2026.

      Locator
      What is it used for?, list
      How it applies
      The listed uses of an eGFR test.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      159b2f634d33619df9137836f16dbbbd8883c335db915bd000da1658fc944446
      Reuse basis
      The MedlinePlus page on using its content (fetched 2026-10-14 as ch-medlineplus-usingcontent.html, sha256 31267ce9db01, hash only) says works produced by the federal government are not copyrighted, and lists summaries on health topic pages and medical test information as public domain; A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia articles are copyrighted, and this atlas cites none. Please acknowledge MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, as the source. The raw page is committed at research/snapshots/ch-medlineplus-gfr-test.html.

    3. Supports MedlinePlus medical test: Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) Test

      Webpage · U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus) · Edition MedlinePlus page fetched 2026-10-14; the page footer says last updated September 30, 2026.

      Locator
      Why do I need a GFR test?, para 1
      How it applies
      eGFR is found from creatinine levels.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      159b2f634d33619df9137836f16dbbbd8883c335db915bd000da1658fc944446
      Reuse basis
      The MedlinePlus page on using its content (fetched 2026-10-14 as ch-medlineplus-usingcontent.html, sha256 31267ce9db01, hash only) says works produced by the federal government are not copyrighted, and lists summaries on health topic pages and medical test information as public domain; A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia articles are copyrighted, and this atlas cites none. Please acknowledge MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine, as the source. The raw page is committed at research/snapshots/ch-medlineplus-gfr-test.html.

  • Description Observational Certainty not assessed

    A 2021 paper in the New England Journal of Medicine developed new eGFR equations that leave out race. The authors say race in eGFR equations is a social and not a biologic construct. In the validation data (12 studies, 4050 participants, 14.3% Black), 85% or more of the eGFRs for Black and non-Black participants were within 30% of measured GFR for all equations. The new equations that combine creatinine and cystatin C were more accurate than the new creatinine equations, with smaller differences between race groups.

    Applies to Recipient not specified
    • Participants in 10 studies (8254 participants, 31.5 percent Black) used to develop the creatinine equations, 13 studies (5352 participants, 39.7 percent Black) used for the creatinine and cystatin C equations, and 12 studies (4050 participants, 14.3 percent Black) used for validation.
    • Not stated in the abstract
    • Not stated in the abstract; the paper also projects CKD prevalence in a sample of U.S. adults
    • Not stated in the abstract
    • Gestational age Not reported
    • Postnatal age Not reported
    Follow-up Not applicable (pooled development and validation datasets)
    Certainty method
    Not assessed
    Limitations
    Only the PubMed abstract was read. The abstract does not state the ages of the participants. The abstract also reports that the new creatinine equations, but not the new creatinine and cystatin C equations, raised the estimated prevalence of chronic kidney disease among Black adults in a projection for U.S. adults. The study was funded by NIDDK (abstract).
    Last checked
    2026-10-14
    Next evidence check due
    Not scheduled
    Sources and citations (6)

    1. Background New Creatinine- and Cystatin C-Based Equations to Estimate GFR without Race

      Publication · The New England journal of medicine · Edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities. The full text and the version of record were not fetched. · Published 2021-11-04 · DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2102953 · PMID: 34554658 · PMCID: PMC8822996

      Locator
      Abstract, BACKGROUND, sentence 2
      How it applies
      Why race was removed from the equations.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      0e7cbff49da3e69d4b8964180159afcc8043f754e444ad86e7ac79a46d0caeb1
      Reuse basis
      PubMed record fetched through NCBI E-utilities. Only the hash of the bytes is kept, because publisher copyright may apply to the abstract (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/disclaimer/). Short factual quotations under 25 words, with the citation.

    2. Supports New Creatinine- and Cystatin C-Based Equations to Estimate GFR without Race

      Publication · The New England journal of medicine · Edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities. The full text and the version of record were not fetched. · Published 2021-11-04 · DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2102953 · PMID: 34554658 · PMCID: PMC8822996

      Locator
      Abstract, METHODS, sentence 1
      How it applies
      Development and validation data sets.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      0e7cbff49da3e69d4b8964180159afcc8043f754e444ad86e7ac79a46d0caeb1
      Reuse basis
      PubMed record fetched through NCBI E-utilities. Only the hash of the bytes is kept, because publisher copyright may apply to the abstract (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/disclaimer/). Short factual quotations under 25 words, with the citation.

    3. Supports New Creatinine- and Cystatin C-Based Equations to Estimate GFR without Race

      Publication · The New England journal of medicine · Edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities. The full text and the version of record were not fetched. · Published 2021-11-04 · DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2102953 · PMID: 34554658 · PMCID: PMC8822996

      Locator
      Abstract, RESULTS, sentence 4; Abstract, RESULTS, sentence 5
      How it applies
      Accuracy of the new equations.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      0e7cbff49da3e69d4b8964180159afcc8043f754e444ad86e7ac79a46d0caeb1
      Reuse basis
      PubMed record fetched through NCBI E-utilities. Only the hash of the bytes is kept, because publisher copyright may apply to the abstract (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/disclaimer/). Short factual quotations under 25 words, with the citation.

    4. Supports New Creatinine- and Cystatin C-Based Equations to Estimate GFR without Race

      Publication · The New England journal of medicine · Edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities. The full text and the version of record were not fetched. · Published 2021-11-04 · DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2102953 · PMID: 34554658 · PMCID: PMC8822996

      Locator
      Abstract, CONCLUSIONS, sentence 1
      How it applies
      The authors conclusion.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      0e7cbff49da3e69d4b8964180159afcc8043f754e444ad86e7ac79a46d0caeb1
      Reuse basis
      PubMed record fetched through NCBI E-utilities. Only the hash of the bytes is kept, because publisher copyright may apply to the abstract (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/disclaimer/). Short factual quotations under 25 words, with the citation.

    5. Background New Creatinine- and Cystatin C-Based Equations to Estimate GFR without Race

      Publication · The New England journal of medicine · Edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities. The full text and the version of record were not fetched. · Published 2021-11-04 · DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2102953 · PMID: 34554658 · PMCID: PMC8822996

      Locator
      Abstract, RESULTS, sentence 6
      How it applies
      Effect on estimated CKD prevalence.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      0e7cbff49da3e69d4b8964180159afcc8043f754e444ad86e7ac79a46d0caeb1
      Reuse basis
      PubMed record fetched through NCBI E-utilities. Only the hash of the bytes is kept, because publisher copyright may apply to the abstract (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/disclaimer/). Short factual quotations under 25 words, with the citation.

    6. Background New Creatinine- and Cystatin C-Based Equations to Estimate GFR without Race

      Publication · The New England journal of medicine · Edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities. The full text and the version of record were not fetched. · Published 2021-11-04 · DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2102953 · PMID: 34554658 · PMCID: PMC8822996

      Locator
      Abstract, CONCLUSIONS, sentence 2
      How it applies
      Funding line.
      Retrieved
      Source effective date
      Not reported
      Source state
      Current
      Snapshot hash
      0e7cbff49da3e69d4b8964180159afcc8043f754e444ad86e7ac79a46d0caeb1
      Reuse basis
      PubMed record fetched through NCBI E-utilities. Only the hash of the bytes is kept, because publisher copyright may apply to the abstract (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/disclaimer/). Short factual quotations under 25 words, with the citation.

Clinical links

Each link reports what one cited claim says about one population. "Evaluated for" means studied, not shown to work. These links do not show that anything is effective or right for you.

Record details

Record id
cardio:egfr
Content hash
9952d94b5a241753bb7b37bc66b6d67c5e004ba416a73cca4c8615b4800a93ad