Chronic Kidney Disease
Patients
Patients
CKD describes the gradual loss of function in your kidneys,1 which play an important role in filtering your blood and removing waste products.
If your kidneys are damaged or have reduced function, waste products build up in your body, but the early stages of CKD often have very few symptoms
before irreversible damage occurs in the later stages of CKD.
Fortunately, a simple blood and urine test can help assess the health of your kidneys. The earlier you know, the earlier your doctor can help
manage your disease and monitor your health.
We are now using a new, race-free equation to calculate the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), a test used to assess kidney function. This change supports health equity and better health outcomes.
Chronic kidney disease can progress silently without many signs or symptoms.2 In fact, most people (96%) living with kidney damage or mildly reduced kidney function are not aware of having CKD3, highlighting the importance of talking to your doctor about testing if you have the following risk factors or symptoms:
Health organizations recommend that you should be tested for CKD at least once a year if you have any risk factors or are experiencing some of the symptoms. Testing for CKD is straightforward, requiring only a blood draw and sample of your urine. Testing can be done at your doctor’s office or at one of nearly 2,000 convenient Labcorp locations with the Kidney Health Test Package. Results are returned in a few days for your doctor to discuss the findings and create a treatment plan for you, as needed.
CKD is a progressive disease that gets worse over time and may lead to kidney failure, which requires dialysis or a transplant.
To track your disease and determine which treatments can help limit or stop the progression of CKD, your doctor can order a laboratory test that measures creatinine (in your blood and urine) and albumin (in your urine).
With information from your test as well as the potential cause of kidney damage, your doctor can determine how well your kidneys are functioning, help diagnose your stage of kidney disease and discuss appropriate treatment decisions.
Health organizations recommend at-risk patients, such as those with diabetes, high blood pressure, and/or who have a family history of kidney disease, should be screened at least annually for CKD.
It is recommended that at-risk patients have both of the following screening tests done:
Talk to your doctor about your CKD risk and ask for uACR and eGFR testing.
Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) is another important measurement that can provide early detection of kidney damage and also help monitor responses to treatments. Albumin is a protein that is normally found in the blood, but if the kidneys are damaged, albumin can leak into the urine. Creatinine is a normal waste product that the kidneys pass into urine.4 A laboratory test of urine measures the amount of albumin and compares it to the amount of creatinine detected to calculate your uACR.
Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is a calculation of how well your kidneys are functioning using results from your blood test. eGFR accounts for other factors such as your age and gender to help your doctor understand your risk or stage of kidney disease.
We have recently implemented a new race-free eGFR equation, as recommended by the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and the America Society of Nephrology.5
This equation may result in higher or lower eGFR values for some patients. See how your eGFR result may have changed with the NKF’s eGFR calculator.
Stage 1
eGFR = 90+
Stage 2
eGFR = 60-89
Stage 3a
eGFR = 45-59
Stage 3b
eGFR = 30-44
Stage 4
eGFR = 15-29
Stage 5
eGFR = <15
If you have been diagnosed with CKD, there is no cure, but your doctor can help you manage your symptoms, reduce the likelihood of complications and slow or stop the progression of the disease. Controlling your blood pressure is important, as well as exercising and following a kidney-healthy diet. Talk to your doctor about the best ways you can care for your kidneys.
Healthy Kidneys are Happy Kidneys
Infographic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
NKF Patient Network
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Kidney Pathway
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Compare how your eGFR may have changed due to the new race-free equation.
Learn more about the race-free eGFR equation.