UKMedCalc

For healthcare professionals. Educational tool only — not a medical device. Verify all results against the current BNF, NICE guidance and local policy, and apply clinical judgement.

Renal

eGFR — CKD-EPI 2009 (creatinine)

Estimates GFR using the original 2009 CKD-EPI creatinine equation — the basis of eGFR reported by UK laboratories.

years

The original equations were derived using sex at birth

Steady-state value only — eGFR is unreliable in acute kidney injury

NICE NG203: UK laboratories report eGFR without an ethnicity adjustment. The coefficient is shown for comparison with older literature only.

Enter the required values to see the result.

Formula

eGFR=141×min⁡(SCrκ,1)α×max⁡(SCrκ,1)−1.209×0.993age×1.018  (if female)×1.159  (if Black)\text{eGFR} = 141 \times \min\left(\frac{S_{Cr}}{\kappa}, 1\right)^{\alpha} \times \max\left(\frac{S_{Cr}}{\kappa}, 1\right)^{-1.209} \times 0.993^{\text{age}} \times 1.018 \; \text{(if female)} \times 1.159 \; \text{(if Black)}

κ = 0.7 (female) or 0.9 (male); α = −0.329 (female) or −0.411 (male). Serum creatinine in mg/dL (divide µmol/L by 88.4 — handled automatically), IDMS-traceable assay. The 1.159 Black ethnicity coefficient is not applied in UK practice.

Caveats & limitations

  • Unreliable in acute kidney injury, pregnancy, and at extremes of muscle mass or diet.
  • The KDIGO G category alone does not diagnose CKD — chronicity (≥3 months) or other markers of kidney damage are required.
  • The historical Black ethnicity coefficient is not recommended in UK practice and is shown for literature comparison only.
  • eGFR is indexed to 1.73 m² body surface area; for drug dosing follow the basis in the BNF/SmPC.

Evidence & UK guidance

Primary evidence

  • Levey AS, Stevens LA, Schmid CH, et al. A new equation to estimate glomerular filtration rate. Ann Intern Med. 2009;150(9):604–612.

    PubMedDOI

UK practice

The equation behind eGFR reported by UK laboratories (using IDMS-traceable creatinine assays). NICE NG203 recommends creatinine-based eGFR without an ethnicity adjustment factor. eGFR is less reliable in AKI, pregnancy and extremes of muscle mass; cystatin C can be used when confirmation is needed.

Official resources

Formula and citations last verified: 2026-08-03

Related calculators

CKD-EPI 2021 eGFR

Estimates GFR using the 2021 CKD-EPI creatinine equation, refitted without a race coefficient (ASN/NKF recommendation in the US).

MDRD eGFR

Estimates GFR using the 4-variable MDRD Study equation re-expressed for standardised (IDMS-traceable) creatinine. Largely superseded by CKD-EPI.

Cockcroft–Gault CrCl

Estimates creatinine clearance for drug dosing from age, sex, weight and serum creatinine, with actual, ideal or adjusted body weight options.