Ontario’s community laboratories have begun routine reporting of an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), based on the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation, for all adult patients (19 and older) for whom a serum creatinine level is ordered. Laboratories will also continue to report a serum creatinine level with reference ranges.

Ontario’s community laboratories will work with the Canadian External Quality Assessment Laboratory (CEQAL) to standardize eGFR reports across all Ontario’s community laboratories and to ensure continuing proficiency assessment.

Background

One in five Canadian seniors now has kidney disease, according to the Kidney Foundation of Canada, and that number is growing by 10 percent per year.

Diabetes is the most common cause of kidney disease in Canada, but kidney disease is also associated with the metabolic syndrome, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The Kidney Foundation of Canada reports that an estimated 1.9 million Canadians have some form of kidney disease but that most are unaware of it. Early diagnosis and treatment are key to managing kidney disease and to avoiding or, at least, delaying the need for costly dialysis or kidney transplantation.

The eGFR provides practitioners with a more sensitive measure of renal function and can provide earlier detection of kidney disease. Earlier detection and earlier intervention can save lives.