Renal Function
The renal function panel groups markers of kidney filtration, nitrogen waste handling, urate handling, mineral balance, fluid concentration, and albumin leakage. It includes creatinine, eGFR, BUN, uric acid, phosphorus, calculated serum osmolality, and urine albumin-creatinine ratio.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a renal function panel different from the metabolic panel?
The metabolic panel is a broader chemistry grouping. A renal function panel is narrower and focuses specifically on kidney filtration, nitrogen waste handling, urine protein loss, and closely related markers.
Why are creatinine and eGFR shown together?
Creatinine is the measured blood marker, while eGFR is a filtration estimate derived from creatinine, age, and sex. Looking at both together gives more context on kidney filtration than either alone.
Which markers are most central to renal function?
Creatinine and eGFR are the core filtration markers. BUN and uric acid describe waste handling, phosphorus adds mineral context, calculated serum osmolality reflects fluid concentration, and urine albumin-creatinine ratio describes albumin leakage.