Albuminuria and Glomerular Filtration Rates as Independent Predictors of Mortality

Albuminuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) are used to define stages of chronic kidney disease, but at what levels such stage transitions occur continues to be debated. In this analysis, researchers combined patient-level data from 21 large population-based studies (1.2 million patients) that provided data on baseline albuminuria or eGFR and on outcomes, including all-cause or cardiovascular mortality. In the three largest studies, dipstick testing was used to measure albuminuria, but urine albumin-to-creatinine ratios (ACRs) were available for more than 100,000 patients.

Mortality risk was fairly constant for eGFR between 75 and 105 mL/minute/1.73 m². In contrast (with eGFR of 95 mL/minute/1.73 m² as a baseline), hazard rat…