2 simple tests that can tell how your kidneys are performing

Dr. Sunita Kapoor, Director and Consultant Pathologist at City Xray & Scan Clinic Pvt. Ltd. says, “CKD is a condition that means the kidneys are damaged and cannot filter blood the way they should. Diabetes is a leading cause of chronic kidney disease. In India also, the disease is commonly observed in people with diabetes. Studies have suggested that almost one in two people with diabetes suffer from CKD, which also indicates that it is underdiagnosed in our country. Another estimate suggests that one in eight Indians experience the chronic condition.

If you are diagnosed with CKD, then it means that you have had a kidney problem for the past few months. You might get chronic kidney disease slowly and silently, without even knowing. You may be losing kidney functions for many years without significant symptoms. People often get to know about their condition only when their kidneys have failed and it’s too late for preventive treatment. In this situation, they usually need dialysis or a kidney transplant. That’s why knowing your kidney numbers is important.

According to Dr. Kapoor. “Two important markers to detect kidney disease are estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) and urine Albumin-Creatinine Ratio (uACR). While eGFR is measured by a blood test, uACR is measured by a urine test. eGFR shows how well your kidneys clean blood and uACR shows that if there is a protein called albumin in your urine it may mean that your kidneys are damaged.”
eGFR test
eGFR is calculated from stable serum creatinine levels at least once a year, especially in all patients with diabetes. eGFR is more accurate than serum creatinine alone. Serum creatinine is affected by muscle mass, and related factors of age, sex, and race. eGFR is not reliable for patients with rapidly changing creatinine levels, extremes in muscle mass and body size, or altered diet patterns.

A uACR test basically lets the doctor or physician know how much albumin passes into your urine over a 24-hour period. Kidney disease may refer to a urine albumin test result of 30 or above. The test may also be repeated once or twice to confirm the results. We must get urine albumin excretion assessed yearly to diagnose and monitor kidney damage in patients with type 1 diabetes for five years or more or with type 2 diabetes. More frequent monitoring may be indicated in patients with changing clinical status or after therapeutic interventions.
Apart from your kidney numbers, your doctor will use your medical history and perform other lab and imaging tests, such as an ultrasound or CT scan to get a picture of your kidneys and urinary tract. In this way, a complete evaluation helps to confirm or rule out CKD.