Two Simple Tests to Check Your Kidney Health and Detect Kidney Diseases
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 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.
In addition to examining your kidney function, your doctor will consider your medical history and may conduct various laboratory and imaging tests, such as an ultrasound or CT scan, to obtain a better understanding of your kidneys and urinary system. This comprehensive evaluation is essential in determining whether or not you have CKD.
Moreover, tests like uACR and eGFR can reduce the burden on patients and healthcare facilities, streamline detection and long-term medical care, and offer dependable and convenient results. These tests can be utilized as screening tools for risk assessment and early-stage identification, and they can also aid doctors in tailoring treatment plans to meet the specific needs of individual patients, resulting in a more personalized approach to care.
The rising prevalence of chronic kidney disease in India not only takes a toll on patients but also on the entire healthcare system. CKD prevalence in the country is a rising burden on healthcare that needs to be tackled by making people aware and promoting screening to enable its identification or diagnosis at an early stage. The good news is that when CKD is found early and treated right, then the outlook for chronic kidney patients can be very bright.