Low rates of automatic reporting of estimated glomerular filtration rate in Southern Brazilian laboratories

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of eGFR reporting in Southern Brazilian laboratories.

Design and methods: The eGFR automatic reporting, as assessed by Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) and/or Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) creatinine-based equations, was evaluated in a representative cross-sectional sample. A standardized questionnaire to obtain this information was given out by mail or email.

Results: Five-hundred fifty laboratories, evenly distributed in the different state regions, completed the questionnaire. The eGFR was automatically reported by 54 (9.8%) laboratories, and the MDRD was the most commonly used equation (94.5%). The Jaffe methods were the most employed technique (94%) to measure serum creatinine.

Conclusion: The automatic eGFR reporting rate was unacceptably low, emphasizing the crucial role of educating medical teams and laboratories on the importance of having these tools available to optimize detection of renal disease and proper treatment.