Your lab portal lights up red and suddenly you are doing mental math on a creatinine value you have never thought about before. We get it and we see it all the time in clinic, so we built a clear guide to the three kidney tests that confuse people most: creatinine, eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate), and urine albumin or protein in the urine.

We start with what the kidneys actually do, down at the level of nephrons and glomeruli, then explain why creatinine is a helpful clue but not a perfect answer. Creatinine is measured, eGFR is estimated from that measurement plus factors like age and sex, and the two numbers typically move in opposite directions. From there, we tackle the big misconception: one low eGFR does not automatically mean chronic kidney disease. “Chronic” implies time, so we talk about why trends and prior labs matter, and how dehydration, acute illness, and certain medications can cause temporary changes that look scary on paper.

Then we add the missing piece many people never hear about: urine albumin testing. Protein leakage can signal kidney damage even when filtration looks relatively preserved, which is especially important for people with diabetes and hypertension. We wrap by sharing the questions we run through as clinicians so you can bring the right context to your next checkup.

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Production and Content: Edward Delesky, MD, DABOM & Nicole Aruffo, RN

Artwork Rebrand and Avatars:

Vantage Design Works (Vanessa Jones)

Website: https://www.vantagedesignworks.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vantagedesignworks?igsh=aHRuOW93dmxuOG9m&utm_source=qr

Original Artwork Concept: Olivia Pawlowski