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Updated: May 31, 2026

Physiology Lab Demonstration: Glomerular Filtration Rate in a Rat
Published on: July 26, 2015
[Comparison of eight equations for estimating glomerular filtration rate in patients with cardiovascular diseases]
Liang Su1, Shu-chang Bai, Bundhoo Kaviraj
1Department of Cardiology, Nanfang Hospital, Guangzhou 510515, China. suliang20030824@yahoo.com.cn
Objective:
To assess the diagnostic value of 8 equations using different variables for determining the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in patients with cardiovascular diseases.
Methods:
GFR was estimated in 208 patients with cardiovascular diseases by (99m)Tc-DTPA dynamic renal imaging, and the eGFR was derived from 8 equations using different variables.
Results:
In patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 1-3, the eGFR calculated suing serum creatinine (SCr)-based equation was better correlated to GFR estimated by (99m)Tc-DTPA renal imaging than that derived from cystatin C (Cys C)-based equations, whereas in patients with CKD stages 4 and 5, the estimates by the latter equation showed a better correlation to GFR. Compared with (99m)Tc-DTPA renal imaging, MDRD-based equation and simple MDRD equation resulted in a higher eGFR in patients with CKD stages 4 and 5, the Rule equation had a lower eGFR in CKD stages 1 and 2, the Macisaac equation yielded a higher eGFR in CKD stages 2-5, and the Tan equation showed a higher eGFR in CKD stages 2 and 3. In patients with mild renal dysfunction, the Scr-based equation had a higher AUC(ROC) than Cys C-based equation, which was reversed in patients with severe renal dysfunction; the AUC(ROC) of the two equations were comparable in patients with moderate renal dysfunction. Compared with (99m)Tc-DTPA renal imaging, the modified MDRD equation and Arnal-Dade equation showed no significant difference in the eGFR in patients with CKD stages 1-5.
Conclusion:
Modified MDRD equation (or simple MDRD equation) and Arnal-Dade equation are superior to other calculation methods for estimating the GFR in Chinese patients with cardiovascular disease.
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