eGFR vs CrCl

Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and creatinine clearance (CrCl) are often, incorrectly, used interchangeably when discussing renal function and drug dose adjustment.

Creatinine clearance, usually estimated using the 1976 Cockcroft-Gault formula rather than actually measured by (notoriously unreliable) 24-hour urine collection, has traditionally been used for drug dosing as it is relatively standardised despite overestimating renal function due to tubular secretion of creatinine. In addition to the usual caveats associated with basing renal function estimates on serum creatinine (acute illness, muscle mass, diet, etc), accuracy of the formula is limited by changes to serum creatinine assays and the rise in obesity since 1976.

Renal function is assessed nowadays using formula-derived eGFR (actual GFR is impracticable to measure routintely). Until recently this was usually calculated using the MDRD formula (1999), which has been well validated but has limited accuracy above 60 mL/min. Laboratories in Australia now report eGFR calculated using the superior CKD-EPI formula (2009). Although both of these formulae give better estimates of true renal function (GFR) than CrCl, they are both still based on serum creatinine with its associated caveats above.

Some studies have shown a reasonable concordance between CrCl (Cockcroft-Gault) and eGFR (MDRD) with respect to drug dosing,1 whereas others have noted significant differences.2–3 At the end of the day, CrCl and eGFR are not the same thing and prescribers should remain vigilant as to which measurement has been used to formulate dosage adjustment recommendations.

1. Stevens LA, et al. Am J Kidney Dis 2009;54:3342
2. Wargo KA, et al. Ann Pharmacother 2006;40:124853
3. Park EJ, et al. Ann Pharmacother 2012;46:117487

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