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 — MDRD (4-variable, IDMS)

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 Largely superseded by CKD-EPI.

years

The original equations were derived using sex at birth

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

The ethnicity coefficient is not applied in UK practice; shown for comparison with older literature only.

Enter the required values to see the result.

Formula

eGFR=175×SCr−1.154×age−0.203×0.742  (if female)×1.212  (if Black)\text{eGFR} = 175 \times S_{Cr}^{-1.154} \times \text{age}^{-0.203} \times 0.742 \; \text{(if female)} \times 1.212 \; \text{(if Black)}

Serum creatinine in mg/dL (divide µmol/L by 88.4 — handled automatically), IDMS-traceable assay. This is the 2006 re-expression of the original 1999 MDRD Study equation.

Caveats & limitations

  • Systematically underestimates GFR at higher levels of kidney function (eGFR ≥60) — a key reason CKD-EPI is preferred.
  • Derived in a US CKD population; less accurate in people without kidney disease.
  • Unreliable in acute kidney injury, pregnancy, and extremes of muscle mass or diet.
  • The historical Black ethnicity coefficient is not recommended in UK practice.

Evidence & UK guidance

Primary evidence

  • Levey AS, Coresh J, Greene T, et al. Using standardized serum creatinine values in the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease study equation for estimating glomerular filtration rate. Ann Intern Med. 2006;145(4):247–254.

    PubMed

  • Levey AS, Bosch JP, Lewis JB, et al. A more accurate method to estimate glomerular filtration rate from serum creatinine: a new prediction equation. Ann Intern Med. 1999;130(6):461–470.

    PubMed

UK practice

Largely superseded by CKD-EPI in UK practice; NICE NG203 recommends the CKD-EPI creatinine equation. MDRD is shown for comparison with older studies and legacy references.

Official resources

Formula and citations last verified: 2026-08-03

Related calculators

CKD-EPI 2009 eGFR

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

CKD-EPI 2021 eGFR

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

Cockcroft–Gault CrCl

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