Renal Clearance Formula:
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Renal clearance is a measurement of the kidney's ability to remove a substance from the blood. It represents the volume of plasma completely cleared of a substance per unit time by the kidneys.
The calculator uses the renal clearance formula:
Where:
Explanation: This formula calculates the volume of plasma that would be completely cleared of a substance per minute based on urinary excretion and plasma concentration.
Details: Renal clearance measurements are essential for assessing kidney function, determining drug dosing in patients with renal impairment, and evaluating the elimination characteristics of various substances from the body.
Tips: Enter urine concentration in mg/mL, urine flow rate in mL/min, and plasma concentration in mg/mL. All values must be positive numbers greater than zero.
Q1: What is the clinical significance of renal clearance?
A: Renal clearance helps assess kidney function, determine appropriate drug dosages, and evaluate the body's ability to eliminate waste products and medications.
Q2: What are normal clearance values for creatinine?
A: Normal creatinine clearance is approximately 95-125 mL/min for women and 110-150 mL/min for men, though values vary with age, body size, and muscle mass.
Q3: How is urine flow rate measured?
A: Urine flow rate is typically measured by collecting urine over a specific time period (usually 24 hours) and calculating the volume per minute.
Q4: What substances are commonly used for clearance tests?
A: Common substances include creatinine (endogenous), inulin (gold standard), iohexol, and various drugs whose clearance needs to be monitored.
Q5: How does renal clearance relate to glomerular filtration rate?
A: For substances that are freely filtered and neither secreted nor reabsorbed (like inulin), renal clearance equals the glomerular filtration rate.