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Explaining eGFR to Patients — ESENeph MCQ

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EasyChronic Kidney DiseaseExplaining eGFR to PatientsESENeph

A 50-year-old man with CKD G4 has been told his eGFR is 22 mL/min/1.73m2. He asks what this number actually means. How should it be explained?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: A — eGFR estimates the volume of blood filtered by the kidneys per minute, adjusted for body surface area – at 22, his kidneys are filtering at approximately 22% of normal capacity; normal is around 100 mL/min/1.73m2

GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is the volume of plasma filtered across all glomeruli per unit time. eGFR estimates this using serum creatinine (and/or cystatin C) in equations that adjust for age, sex, and (in some equations) race. It is expressed per 1.73 m2 body surface area for standardisation. At eGFR 22, approximately 78% of kidney filtering capacity has been lost. Explaining this as a percentage of normal function is often helpful for patient understanding. KDIGO 2024 uses eGFR categories (G1-G5) to classify CKD severity and guide management intensity.

Reference: KDIGO 2024 – CKD; Patient Information Resources