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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 medication dosing adjustments, particularly for drugs that are renally eliminated. It helps prevent drug toxicity in patients with impaired kidney function.
Tips: Enter age in years, weight in kilograms, serum creatinine in mg/dL, and select gender. All values must be valid (age between 1-120, weight > 0, creatinine > 0).
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.
Q2: When is Cockcroft-Gault preferred over other equations?
A: Cockcroft-Gault is often preferred for drug dosing decisions, particularly in older medications and clinical trials where it was the standard.
Q3: What are normal CrCl values?
A: Normal CrCl is approximately 95-125 mL/min for young adults, decreasing with age. Values below 60 mL/min indicate renal impairment.
Q4: Are there limitations to this equation?
A: Less accurate in elderly, obese, malnourished patients, and those with unstable renal function. It may overestimate CrCl in elderly due to reduced muscle mass.
Q5: Should ideal body weight be used?
A: For obese patients, some guidelines recommend using ideal body weight rather than actual body weight for more accurate estimation.