Abstract
Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is difficult to measure, and estimating formulas are notorious for lacking precision. This study aims to assess if the inclusion of additional biomarkers improves the performance of eGFR formulas. A hundred and sixteen children with renal diseases were enrolled. Data for age, weight, height, inulin clearance (iGFR), serum creatinine, cystatin C, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), parathyroid hormone (PTH), albumin, and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) were collected. These variables were added to the revised and combined (serum creatinine and cystatin C) Schwartz formulas, and the quadratic and combined quadratic formulas. We calculated the adjusted r-square (r2) in relation to iGFR and tested the improvement in variance explained by means of the likelihood ratio test. The combined Schwartz and the combined quadratic formulas yielded best results with an r2 of 0.676 and 0.730, respectively. The addition of BNP and PTH to the combined Schwartz and quadratic formulas improved the variance slightly. NGAL and albumin failed to improve the prediction of GFR further. These study results also confirm that the addition of cystatin C improves the performance of estimating GFR formulas, in particular the Schwartz formula.Conclusion: The addition of serum NGAL, BNP, PTH, and albumin to the combined Schwartz and quadratic formulas for estimating GFR did not improve GFR prediction in our population.What is Known:• Estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) formulas include serum creatinine and/or cystatin C but lack precision when compared to measured GFR.• The serum concentrations of some biological parameters such as neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), parathyroid hormone (PTH), albumin, and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) vary with the level of renal function.What is New:• The addition of BNP and PTH to the combined quadratic formula improved its performance only slightly. NGAL and albumin failed to improve the prediction of GFR further.
Highlights
Estimation of glomerular filtration rate is important in clinical practice [1]
Estimating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) formulas include serum creatinine and/or cystatin C but lack precision when compared to measured Glomerular filtration rate (GFR)
neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and albumin failed to improve the prediction of GFR further
Summary
Estimation of glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is important in clinical practice [1]. An increase in Scr may not be observed until a substantial decrease of at least 40% in GFR has occurred [2]. Several studies have shown a better estimation of GFR using combined Scr and Scyst C measurements [3, 4]. Scyst C can be influenced by uncontrolled thyroid disease or immunosuppressive therapies [5, 6], leading to a decrease in eGFR precision. Other exogenous markers (i.e., Cr-51 EDTA, iohexol) have been used as well; all these methods can be cumbersome and are not always available in clinical practice [7]
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