% kidney function

[Guest guest]

More on this subject which often comes up.

Why are so many people told they have about 50% kidney function when they

are first diagnosed with a kidney problem (IgAN or any other)?

It's a simple rule of thumb, and no calculation is involved at all. The fact

is that most people with IgAN are initially diagnosed when protein or blood

is found in their urine, and most will have slightly elevated serum

creatinine level. By the time serum creatinine is elevated, the person will

usually have lost about 50% of kidney function. Simple as that. It's usually

a guesstimate, until actual creatinine clearance can be measured.

After that, while a nephrologist will periodically order a 24 hour urine

collection for creatinine clearance and proteinuria, once the person's

initial serum creatinine is known, then most of the tracking of renal

function over the years can be done by serum creatinine alone.

Pierre