Diagnosis of Chronic Kidney Disease and Assessing Glomerular Filtration Rate

Abstract

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a silent progressive disease. It is diagnosed by assessing filtration and markers of kidney damage such as albuminuria. The diagnosis of CKD should include not only assessing the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and albuminuria but also the cause. The CKD care plan should include documentation of the trajectory and prognosis. The use of a combination of serum cystatin C and creatinine concentration offers a more accurate estimation of GFR. Social determinants of health are important to address as part of the diagnosis because they contribute to CKD disparities.

Keywords: CKD diagnosis; Chronic kidney disease; Estimating GFR; Glomerular filtration rate; Kidney function; Measuring GFR; Monitoring GFR.