Understanding Chronic Kidney Disease

OVERVIEW Symptoms Risk Factors Causes Diagnosis and Testing GFR Calculator

Determine Your CKD Stage With Our GFR Calculator

Knowing your glomerular filtration rate (GFR) will help you understand how well your kidneys are functioning. Using our GFR calculator, you can find out your estimated GFR and determine which stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD) you may be in. There are specific steps you can take at every stage of CKD to help manage your health and feel your best.

What is GFR?

Glomerular filtration rate is a measurement of how well your kidneys are working to clean your blood. Just as your blood pressure and cholesterol levels are important factors in knowing your risk for heart disease, your GFR is important in knowing your risk for CKD.

Your exact GFR cannot be measured directly. Instead, our GFR calculator will give you an estimate using a mathematical formula that most closely determines your kidney function based on certain personal factors and your serum creatinine—which is the amount of creatinine in your blood.

What is estimated GFR?

Your estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is the calculation that indicates your level of kidney function, based on the results of a creatinine serum test and other factors—such as age, gender, muscle mass, and ethnicity. If your eGFR is below 90, your kidneys may not be functioning as well as they should and you may be at risk for kidney disease.

By estimating your GFR, along with other blood and urine tests—such as creatinine clearance—your doctor is able to diagnose kidney disease, determine which stage you’re in, and track any progression. Knowing your eGFR is also important to managing your health at every stage of kidney disease.

Use our GFR calculator

To calculate your eGFR, enter all fields below.

Age: Serum creatinine:*

Gender:

Male Female

Are you African American?

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Based on your inputs, your eGFR value is

mL/min/1.73m

This eGFR value may indicate:

Stage 2 kidney disease

Kidney damage with mild to moderate loss of kidney function.

Learn what you can do next Return to calculator

*Note: Your doctor measures creatinine with a simple serum blood test. You’ll need these kidney test results to complete your calculation.

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How to calculate your GFR

Estimating GFR begins with a simple serum creatinine blood test. If you’re using our GFR calculator, your eGFR is calculated using the results of your blood test, along with your age, ethnicity, and gender. When your eGFR is calculated by your doctor, weight and body size may also be factored into your eGFR.

What does your GFR mean for you?

Your eGFR helps identify your level of kidney function. Each stage of kidney disease matches up to an eGFR range, and knowing which stage you’re in can help you identify the steps you need to take to stay your healthiest. People in early stages 1-3 of CKD, for example, may want to focus on lifestyle changes and eating a kidney-friendly diet. People in later stages CKD 4 and 5 may need to find a nephrologist and explore treatment options, such as a kidney transplant or dialysis.

Use the chart below to determine which CKD stage best matches your GFR calculator results and click on the stage to learn about healthy next steps.


STAGE 1	Kidney damage with normal kidney function	eGFR of 90 or higher
STAGE 2	Mild loss of kidney function	eGFR of 60–89
STAGE 3A	Mild to moderate loss of kidney function	eGFR of 45–59
STAGE 3B	Moderate to severe loss of kidney function	eGFR of 30–44
STAGE 4	Severe loss of kidney function	eGFR of 15–29
STAGE 5 - END STAGE RENAL DISEASE (ESRD)	Kidney failure or close to kidney failure	eGFR of less than 15

WHAT CAUSES CKD?

There are many factors that can contribute to kidney disease—most commonly, diabetes and high blood pressure. But even people who’ve taken excellent care of their health can be at risk for CKD.

Learn what causes CKD

What are normal GFR levels?

The GFR normal range is typically 90 or higher, though this can vary by age. Stage 1 CKD also has an eGFR range of 90 or higher because kidney damage is minimal at this stage. Therefore, additional tests may be performed by your doctor to help confirm a CKD diagnosis. Once your eGFR drops below 90, you may be at risk for more serious kidney damage. If you have any questions about whether your GFR levels are normal for you, ask your doctor for more information

Learn About CKD Tests and Diagnosis

What can affect GFR levels?

Your eGFR tells you how well your kidneys are working, and can be affected by many factors, including your activity level, the foods you eat, and any kidney-related health conditions you have. It also varies from person to person based on age, gender, muscle mass, and ethnicity. To help preserve your current kidney function, talk to your care team about how you can protect your kidney health.

If you are diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, it’s also important to understand the root cause of the condition in order to protect your remaining kidney function and keep your GFR levels in a healthy range, Managing other conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes can help you stay healthy and slow the progression of CKD. In some cases, your care team may recommend modifying your daily routine to incorporate an exercise program and a kidney-friendly diet.

Why knowing your GFR matters

Your eGFR is an important calculation that helps your doctor determine your level of kidney function. This can mean something different for everybody, since your eGFR also depends on your age, gender, muscle mass, ethnicity, and the results of your creatinine serum test. If your doctor is using eGFR to help diagnose kidney disease or determine your stage, you may also need additional tests to confirm.

Knowing your eGFR and understanding which stage you’re in can help you take steps to preserve kidney function and track any progression.

TAKE STEPS TO STAY YOUR HEALTHIEST

Looking after your health by eating well, managing other health conditions, and following your doctor's instructions can help you feel your best—and slow the progression of CKD.

Ask your doctor how to manage your kidney health.

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