Cockcroft-Gault Equation:
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The Cockcroft-Gault equation estimates creatinine clearance (CrCl) from serum creatinine, age, weight, and gender. It is widely used for drug dosing adjustments in patients with renal impairment and for assessing kidney function.
The calculator uses the Cockcroft-Gault equation:
Where:
Explanation: The equation estimates the rate at which creatinine is cleared from the blood by the kidneys, providing an approximation of glomerular filtration rate.
Details: Creatinine clearance is essential for drug dosing adjustments, assessing renal function, and monitoring kidney disease progression. Many medications require dose modification based on CrCl values.
Tips: Enter age in years, weight in kilograms, serum creatinine in mg/dL, and select gender. All values must be valid (age 1-120 years, weight > 0 kg, creatinine > 0 mg/dL).
Q1: What is the difference between CrCl and eGFR?
A: CrCl estimates creatinine clearance using the Cockcroft-Gault equation, while eGFR estimates glomerular filtration rate using equations like CKD-EPI or MDRD. They serve similar purposes but use different calculations.
Q2: What are normal CrCl values?
A: Normal CrCl is approximately 95-125 mL/min for men and 85-115 mL/min for women. Values decrease with age due to natural decline in kidney function.
Q3: When is Cockcroft-Gault preferred over other equations?
A: Cockcroft-Gault is often preferred for drug dosing adjustments, particularly for medications with narrow therapeutic windows that require precise renal function assessment.
Q4: Are there limitations to this equation?
A: Less accurate in elderly patients, obese individuals, those with unstable creatinine levels, and patients with extremes of muscle mass.
Q5: Should ideal body weight be used?
A: For obese patients (BMI > 30), some guidelines recommend using ideal body weight rather than actual body weight for more accurate estimation.