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One of the measures of kidney function is the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Other tests that can assess the function of the kidneys include assessment of electrolyte levels such as potassium and phosphate , assessment of acid-base status by the measurement of bicarbonate levels from a vein, and assessment of the full blood count for anaemia .
The kidney has many functions, which a well-functioning kidney realizes by filtering blood in a process known as glomerular filtration. A major measure of kidney function is the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The glomerular filtration rate is the flow rate of filtered fluid through the kidney.
Para-aminohippurate (PAH) clearance is a method used in renal physiology to measure renal plasma flow, which is a measure of renal function. [citation needed]PAH is completely removed from blood that passes through the kidneys (PAH undergoes both glomerular filtration and tubular secretion), and therefore the rate at which the kidneys can clear PAH from the blood reflects total renal plasma flow.
Effective renal plasma flow (eRPF) is a measure used in renal physiology [1] to calculate renal plasma flow (RPF) and hence estimate renal function.. Because the extraction ratio of PAH is high, it has become commonplace to estimate the RPF by dividing the amount of PAH in the urine by the plasma PAH level, ignoring the level in renal venous blood.
GFR on its own is the most common and important measure of renal function. However, in conditions such as renal artery stenosis, blood flow to the kidneys is reduced. Filtration fraction must therefore be increased in order to perform the normal functions of the kidney. Loop diuretics and thiazide diuretics decrease filtration fraction.
Renal professionals consider the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) to be the best overall index of kidney function. [33] The National Kidney Foundation offers an easy to use on-line GFR calculator [34] for anyone who is interested in knowing their glomerular filtration rate.
The Glomerular filtration rate, an estimate of normal kidney function, is usually normalized to body surface area (S). S and V differ markedly between small vs. large people and between men and women. A man and a woman of the same S will have similar levels of GFR, but their values for V may differ by 15-20%.
Typically, in an adult human, the net filtration pressure is 10mmHg and Kf 12.5mL/min/mmHg, giving a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 125mL/min. A decrease in Kf due to reduced number of glomeruli or reduced permeability will reduce the GFR at a given filtration pressure [3]