What are the various levels of kidney function?
Dr Vijay Kher
Chairman,
Department of Nephrology and Kidney transplant Medicine,
Fortis Kidney and Urology Institute,
Fortis Escorts Hospital, New Delhi
Chairman,
Department of Nephrology and Kidney transplant Medicine,
Fortis Kidney and Urology Institute,
Fortis Escorts Hospital, New Delhi
Q: I have a creatinine level of 2.1, what does it mean and is it serious? At what stage is dialysis done? What is stage 1, 2, 3 etc. in kidney problems?
A:Serum creatinine of 2 mg means glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 43.5 ml per minute in your case. Normal GFR is 100-120 ml per minute. Stage 1 disease is GFR more than 90 ml; Stage 2 disease is GFR of 60-90 ml; Stage 3 disease is when GFR is 30-60 ml; Stage 4 disease is when the GFR level is at 15-30 ml and finally Stage 5 is GFR less than 15 ml per minute. Stage 5 is called kidney failure. Dialysis and kidney transplantation are required for stage 5 disease.