Distribution of creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate in healthy schoolchildren: The Health Oriented Pedagogical Project (HOPP)

Abstract

Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) measured by urinary clearance of inulin is considered the gold standard for assessment of kidney function in both adults and children. Because the procedure is cumbersome, GFR is estimated (eGFR) using algorithms based on the observed relationship between measured GFR (mGFR) and more accessible biomarkers such as creatinine and cystatin C. In children, most of the data on this relationship is retrieved from patients with reduced kidney function. Nonetheless, eGFR equations are widely in use in healthy children to evaluate kidney status and diagnose kidney disease. The aim of the present study was to compare the distribution of eGFR using two established pediatric eGFR equations incorporating age, height and serum creatinine (Schwartz-Lyon and Full Age Spectrum-height) and two recently published equations restricted to age and serum creatinine (Lund-Malmö Revised 18 and European Kidney Function Consortium equation) in 1200 healthy schoolchildren age 6–12 years. In addition, we present 2.5^th, median and 97.5^th percentiles for serum creatinine stratified by age and gender. Depending on the equation used, mean eGFR ranged from 101.6 to 115.4 mL/min/1.73 m². The lower 2.5^th percentile ranged from 83.3 to 89.0 mL/min/1.73 m² and the fraction of children with eGFR < 90 mL/min/1.73 m² ranged from 2.9% to 9.8%. In conclusion, expected values of eGFR in healthy children are significantly dependent on the equation used. When decision limits for diagnosis or classification are applied to eGFR results, the related equation should be clearly stated.

Keywords:

• Pediatrics
• children
• creatinine
• glomerular filtration rate
• kidney function tests

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by Horten Municipality, Kristiania University College, The Norwegian Order of Odd Fellow Research Fund, the Oslofjord Regional Research Fund, and the Norwegian Fund for Post-Graduate Training in Physiotherapy.