Expressing glomerular filtration rate in terms of extracellular fluid volume

Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is routinely calculated from the second exponential of the bi-exponential plasma clearance of filtration markers such as Cr-51 EDTA and Tc-99m DTPA. By ignoring the first exponential, true GFR is overestimated, an error which increases with increasing GFR. The rate constant, lambda 2, of the second exponential represents the rate at which glomerular filtration 'turns over' the extracellular fluid (ECF) and so closely approximates GFR/ECF volume. Again, the error in the estimation of this ratio increases with increasing GFR, although in this case it underestimates the true ratio. Expressing GFR in terms of ECF volume, rather than in terms of body surface area, offers considerable technical and physiological advantages. The relationship between GFR/ECF volume and lambda 2, over a wide range of renal function, expressed as a second order polynomial, was GFR/ECF volume = -0.093 + 1.06 lambda 2 + 0.009 lambda 2(2) ml.min-1.l-1. The corresponding relationship between 'true' GFR (C1) and approximate GFR (i.e. based only on the second exponential--C2) was C1 = -0.58 + 1.012C2 -0.0011 C2(2) ml.min-1 For any level of renal function, the error in GFR/ECF volume, expressed as lambda 2, is less than the error in GFR expressed as C2. Since GFR may change as a direct result of a change in ECF volume, it is physiologically more relevant, and technically very much easier, to express GFR in terms of ECF volume rather than body surface area.