A simple estimate of glomerular filtration rate in adolescent boys

We reexamined the relationship between creatinine clearance (Ccr) and body habitus in 212 girls and 356 boys, including 181 boys and 69 girls between 13 and 21 years of age. The use of formula Ccr = k L/Pcr, where k = 0.55 for the calculation of GFR, resulted in a significant underestimation of GFR in adolescent boys but was suitable for girls. In 51 adolescent boys the equation Ccr = 0.7 L/Pcr resulted in an accurate estimate of GFR. Regression analysis in 133 boys aged 3 to 21 years showed that the constant k increased gradually and linearly with age (r = 0.35, P less than 0.01). GFR could be better estimated for boys of any age by the linear bivariate equation Ccr = 1.5 (age) + 0.5 (L/Pcr), where age is given in years (r = 0.82, P less than 0.001). This equation yielded slightly better results than did 0.7 L/Pcr in 91 additional clearance studies performed in adolescent boys with native kidneys or functioning renal transplants. The larger value for the constant k (0.7) and the age correction for GFR reflect the greater rate of urinary creatine excretion (and thus muscle mass) per unit of body mass in adolescent boys.