Uncertainty in measurement and the renal tubular reabsorption of phosphate

The ratio of tubular maximum reabsorption of phosphate to glomerular filtration rate (TmP/GFR) is used to evaluate renal phosphate transport. TmP/GFR is most probably calculated using the formula described by Kenny and Glen or obtained from the nomogram described by Walton and Bijvoet. Even though the calculation itself is well described, no attention has been given to its measurement uncertainty (MU). The aim of this study is to provide a procedure for evaluating the MU of the Kenny and Glen formula; a procedure which is based on the Evaluation of measurement data - Guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement (GUM).

TmP/GFR is a quantity value calculated from the input of measured values for serum (plasma) phosphate and creatinine, plus measured values of urine phosphate and creatinine. Given the measurement uncertainty associated with these input quantities, the GUM describes the mathematical procedures required to determine the uncertainty of the calculated TmP/GFR. From a medical laboratory perspective, these input uncertainties are the standard deviations of the respective internal quality control estimates for serum and urine phosphate, plus serum and urine creatinine.

Based on representative measurements for the input quantities and their associated standard uncertainties, the expanded relative uncertainty for a calculated TmP/GFR is approximately 3.0-4.5 %.

With the continued relevance of the TmP/GFR procedure and the use of creatinine clearance as an estimate of GFR, the addition of an uncertainty estimate is important as an adjunct to this diagnostic procedure.