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Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Assessment of Kidney Function in Mouse Models of Glomerular Disease
Published on: June 30, 2018
Comparison of glomerular function tests in children with cancer
Marika H Grönroos1, Timo Jahnukainen, Kerttu Irjala
1Department of Pediatrics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland. marika.gronroos@utu.fi
Determining kidney function in pediatric cancer patients is crucial. Isotope glomerular filtration rate (iGFR) is the gold standard, with serum cystatin C (CysC) being the most reliable alternative for assessing glomerular function.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Oncology
- Nuclear Medicine
Background:
- Renal function monitoring is essential for pediatric cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
- Accurate assessment of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is vital for treatment management and preventing nephrotoxicity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare isotope glomerular filtration rate (iGFR) with alternative methods for GFR estimation in pediatric cancer patients.
- To identify the most reliable alternative method for GFR assessment in this population.
Main Methods:
- Simultaneous measurement of iGFR using (99m)Tc-DTPA or (51)Cr-EDTA in 36 children (112 studies).
- Comparison with creatinine clearance (CrCl), serum creatinine (SCr), cystatin C (CysC), and predictive formulae (Schwartz, Counahan-Barratt, Cockroft-Gault).
- Statistical analysis using general linear mixed models to assess correlations and agreement.
Main Results:
- A significant association was found between iGFR and serum CysC concentrations (p < 0.001).
- No linear relationship was observed between iGFR and CrCl (p = 0.7).
- Height-based formulae (Schwartz, Counahan-Barratt) showed better correlation with iGFR than weight-based formulae (Cockroft-Gault), but overall agreement was poor.
Conclusions:
- Isotope GFR (iGFR) remains the gold standard for estimating GFR in pediatric cancer patients.
- Serum cystatin C (CysC) assay is the most reliable alternative method for assessing glomerular function in this cohort.
- Routine renal function evaluation using iGFR or CysC is recommended during and after chemotherapy.
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