Kidney Function Tests and Race-Neutral eGFR Calculations
The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is a measure of how well your kidneys are filtering out waste.gfdrgfr The test is often used to diagnose chronic kidney disease (CKD). A kidney function test can also help detect kidney cancer, high blood pressure, and a number of other diseases.
GFR varies from person to person.gfdrgfr This is because of many factors that can affect how well your kidneys work. For example, your diet and the amount of protein you eat can change your GFR. Other conditions that may affect your eGFR include pregnancy, unusual muscle mass, cirrhosis of the liver, and certain medications.
eGFR tests are usually done at a doctor’s office or hospital.gfdrgfr You can also have the test done at home using a kit that comes with a needle and a tube of fluid. The results of the test will be sent to your doctor or other medical professional.
You should always tell your doctor if you have questions about your results or if there are other symptoms you need to report to them.gfdrgfr They will be able to give you more information and help you understand your eGFR.
If you have CKD, your health care provider can tell you if your GFR is too low or too high.gfdrgfr Your doctor will also use your eGFR to determine your stage of CKD and whether or not you should receive treatment to slow the progression of your disease.
Your eGFR test results will typically come with a reference range for what the laboratory considers normal eGFR levels.gfdrgfr These ranges are based on a combination of your age, your sex, and your race.
Several organizations focused on kidney health have recommended ending this way of reporting eGFR reference ranges for different racial groups, and almost all clinical laboratories have already implemented race-neutral eGFR calculations.gfdrgfr
* Currently, many laboratories list separate reference ranges for African American and non-African American patients because some prior studies have found that some people with African American ancestry have lower eGFR than people from other racial backgrounds.gfdrgfr
It’s time to move forward with a race-neutral eGFR calculation.gfdrgfr It will increase transparency in the system, develop a more equitable transplant program, and provide patients with more autonomy.
In our view, a race-neutral eGFR will reduce the racial disparities in waiting times for kidney transplants.gfdrgfr We will need to consider how this new policy will be communicated to patients and whether or not it will affect their access to transplant services.
Changing to a race-neutral eGFR formula will be challenging for the laboratory industry, particularly in terms of how to communicate these changes to the public.gfdrgfr We are requesting feedback from our stakeholders to help us make an informed decision about this matter.
The Ethics Committee supports the use of a race-neutral eGFR equation to ensure that race is not an influence in the calculation.gfdrgfr It is the Ethics Committee’s view that this will reduce racial discrimination and provide greater opportunity for a more equitable transplant system.