Renal function is a cornerstone of clinical decision-making, yet the tools used to estimate glomerular filtration rate (GFR) are often borrowed from Western datasets that may not reflect the physiological realities of other populations. This pilot study, conducted in healthy South Indian males, compares two widely used equations—Cockcroft-Gault (CG) and Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD)—to estimate GFR. The findings reveal a statistically significant difference in eGFR values, highlight a surprisingly high proportion of individuals falling into early CKD categories, and raise important questions about the accuracy of these formulas in the Indian context. Are we underestimating renal health by applying global tools without local validation?
Curious how BMI flips the GFR equation? Explore the complete findings in the full PDF.
