Performance of the various serum creatinine-based GFR estimating equations in pediatric kidney transplant recipients, stratified by age and CKD staging.

backgroundNumerous equations are used to estimate glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), based on serum creatinine (SCr), demographic and anthropometric data, none established in pediatric kidney transplant recipients. This study aimed to validate the available SCr-based eGFR equations in comparison with a measured (mGFR), stratified by chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage and age at the time of testing.

methodsOne hundred twenty-seven pediatric kidney transplant recipients with 411 mGFR values (plasma clearance of iothalamate) were enrolled in this retrospective study. The bias, precision, and accuracy (percentage of estimates within 10% and 30% of mGFR) of five SCr eGFR equations (original Schwartz, CKiDSCr equation, Pottel, Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD), and Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI)) were assessed.

resultsHeight-independent Pottel equation performed well across all the categories of age and CKD staging. CKiDSCr equation performed well in CKD stages II-V. The CKiDSCr equation had a lower bias in children < 15 years of age, while MDRD and CKD-EPI equations had less bias in children > 15 years. Overall, both the Pottel and CKiDSCr equations had high accuracy (80%) and low bias (< 5 ml/min/1.73 m

conclusionsGiven their low bias and high accuracy across ages and CKD stages, the Pottel or the CKiDSCr equation is better to assess eGFR in pediatric kidney transplant recipients. The Pottel equation outperformed other eGFR equations in adolescents.