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Kidney Health

Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR)

eGFR is an estimate of how well your kidneys are filtering, worked out from a blood test. A result of 60 or above usually suggests they are working normally. One reading below 60 is not a diagnosis on its own, it is only a flag for long-term kidney change if it stays low for more than three months, which is why your GP repeats the test to see the trend.

Standard Care
CategoryKidney Health
Reference rangeSee your report
Evidence✓Standard Care
Last updated3 July 2026
On this page
14.2%

of Australian adults had biomedical signs of chronic kidney disease in 2022–24 — yet only 7.4% of them were aware of it, meaning most CKD in Australia goes undetected without a blood test.

What is estimated glomerular filtration rate (egfr)?

eGFR stands for estimated glomerular filtration rate — a number calculated from your blood to show how well your kidneys are filtering out waste. The glomeruli (gloh-MAIR- yoo-lie) are the tiny filters inside each kidney; there are roughly a million of them, and together they clean your entire blood volume dozens of times a day. The filtration rate is expressed in millilitres of blood filtered per minute, adjusted for a standard body surface area of 1.73 m² so that results are comparable across people of different sizes. eGFR is not measured directly. It is estimated using a formula called the CKD-EPI equation (Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration) — which takes your blood creatinine level, age, and sex. Creatinine is a waste product that healthy kidneys filter out at a steady rate; when kidney function drops, creatinine builds up in the blood, and the eGFR estimate falls. Australian laboratories no longer include race or ethnicity in the CKD-EPI calculation, following an international move to remove the race coefficient from the 2021 equation. One important nuance: because the formula is an estimate, the true filtration rate for any individual can be considerably higher or lower than the number on your report. For most people, the estimate is accurate enough for clinical decisions, but your GP interprets it alongside your creatinine, symptoms, history, and other kidney markers rather than the number alone. When your eGFR is 90 or above, Australian laboratories report it as ">90 mL/min/1.73m²" rather than printing the exact figure — because very high values are less precise, and what matters clinically is that the result sits comfortably in the normal range.

Why is it tested?

Your GP orders an eGFR to check how well your kidneys are working, usually as part of routine kidney function tests alongside creatinine, urea, and electrolytes. It is particularly important if you have risk factors for kidney disease: diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension), a family history of kidney problems, or a history of conditions that can affect the kidneys. eGFR is also used to monitor people already known to have kidney disease, to track whether function is stable or declining over time. Because most early-stage kidney disease causes no symptoms, an eGFR result is often the first thing that prompts a closer look, which is why your GP may include it in routine testing. Your GP may also check eGFR before starting or adjusting medications that the kidneys clear from the body — for example, certain blood pressure medicines, pain relievers, or diabetes drugs — to make sure the dose is safe for your level of kidney function.

Reference range (Australia)

≥90 reported as >90; <60 sustained ≥3 months = CKD threshold mL/min/1.73m²

The CKD-EPI equation adjusts internally for sex using different creatinine coefficients, so the reported eGFR is already sex-adjusted. Australian labs no longer apply a race coefficient. The threshold for CKD concern (<60 mL/min/1.73m² for ≥3 months) applies regardless of sex.

Reference intervals vary between laboratories. Always use the range printed on your own report.

What your result means

If your level is low

An eGFR below 60 mL/min/1.73m² suggests some reduction in kidney filtering capacity. Importantly, a single low result does not diagnose anything on its own, your GP will repeat the test to see whether it is stable, improving or declining. Only a reduced eGFR that stays low for more than three months meets the threshold for chronic kidney disease (CKD), a term for long-term changes in kidney structure or function. Your GP will also look at your other kidney markers — creatinine, urea, and the albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR, a urine test that checks for protein in the urine as a sign of kidney damage) — alongside your blood pressure, blood sugar, and medications. If your eGFR is declining over time, or is substantially lower (below 30 mL/min/1.73m²), your GP may bring in a kidney specialist (nephrologist) to look more closely with you.

If your level is in range

An eGFR between 60 and 89 mL/min/1.73m² often reflects adequate kidney function, but on its own it does not rule out early kidney changes. At this level the result is only fully reassuring when there is no sign of kidney damage in your urine. It can also overlap with very mild, early changes that only become significant when the reading falls below 60 or stays low over months. Context matters here: an eGFR in the mid-60s in an older adult may be entirely expected, while the same reading in a young person warrants closer attention. Your GP reads your eGFR alongside your other results, your symptoms, and your risk factors — rather than treating the number in isolation.

If your level is high

An eGFR above 90 mL/min/1.73m² — reported as ">90" on your lab report — indicates your kidneys are filtering well. This is the normal range for most adults, though eGFR does tend to fall gradually with age. On its own, a result in this range is reassuring and does not suggest a kidney problem.

What can affect your result

Because eGFR is calculated from creatinine, anything that shifts your creatinine level can change the result — even if your actual kidney function is unchanged. Muscle mass matters: creatinine is a by-product of muscle metabolism, so people with more muscle (for example, bodybuilders) may have naturally higher creatinine and a lower-looking eGFR, even with healthy kidneys. The reverse is true for people with very low muscle mass, such as older adults or those who are frail — their creatinine may be deceptively low, making the eGFR look better than it truly is. Medications that commonly affect eGFR include: — ACE inhibitors and ARBs (blood pressure medicines such as ramipril or irbesartan): these often cause a modest initial dip in eGFR, which is expected and usually harmless; over the long term they are often protective for the kidneys. — NSAIDs (anti-inflammatory pain relievers such as ibuprofen or naproxen): regular use can reduce kidney blood flow and lower eGFR. — SGLT2 inhibitors (a diabetes medicine such as empagliflozin): these cause a small predictable drop in eGFR on starting; this does not mean the kidneys are being harmed. — Some antibiotics, contrast dyes used in imaging, and certain chemotherapy agents can temporarily stress the kidneys. Dehydration, severe illness, and acute infections can cause a temporary fall in eGFR that recovers once the person is well again. Your GP distinguishes these short-term changes from true chronic decline by repeating the test over time.

When to act

If your eGFR result is below 60 mL/min/1.73m², it is worth a conversation with your GP — not because one reading means kidney disease, but because your GP will want to repeat the test and look at the trend. They will check your blood pressure, blood sugar, other kidney markers (creatinine, urea, ACR), and medications to understand what is going on. If the same or lower eGFR comes back on a repeat test more than three months later, your GP will consider the full picture: your symptoms, your risk factors, and whether there are signs of kidney damage in the urine (protein, blood). That is the point at which CKD becomes a conversation, not a single number. If your eGFR is in the 60–89 range but you have other kidney concerns — protein in your urine, uncontrolled blood pressure, or a strong family history — your GP may monitor it more closely, even if the number alone would not trigger concern. This page is general information and is not a substitute for advice from your GP.

Frequently asked questions

A normal eGFR is generally considered to be 90 mL/min/1.73m² or above — and Australian labs report it as ">90" rather than printing the exact figure, because very high values are less precise and what matters clinically is that the result is comfortably in the normal zone. An eGFR between 60 and 89 may be normal for many people, particularly older adults, but your GP will read it in the context of your age, risk factors, and other test results rather than the number alone.

Not necessarily — and this is one of the most important things to understand about eGFR. A single low reading does not diagnose chronic kidney disease (CKD). The definition of CKD requires that kidney function is reduced — or that there is evidence of kidney damage — for more than three months. A one-off result below 60 mL/min/1.73m² could reflect temporary factors like dehydration, a recent illness, or a medication effect. Your GP will repeat the test over time to see whether the reading is stable, improving, or declining before drawing any conclusions.

When your eGFR is 90 or above, Australian pathology laboratories report it as ">90 mL/min/1.73m²" rather than printing the exact calculated value. This is because the CKD-EPI equation is less precise at very high values — the exact number matters much less than knowing you are well above the 60 mL/min/1.73m² threshold that flags a concern. A ">90" result means your kidneys are filtering normally.

eGFR is calculated from your blood creatinine level. Creatinine is a waste product that your muscles produce at a fairly steady rate and that healthy kidneys filter out continuously. When kidney function drops, creatinine accumulates in the blood — and the eGFR formula translates that rise into an estimate of how much filtering capacity has been lost. That is why creatinine and eGFR usually move in opposite directions: as creatinine rises, eGFR falls. Your GP reads both together, along with urea and the albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR — a urine test for protein, which can signal kidney damage), to get the full kidney picture.

Yes — and the trend matters far more than any single reading. A gradual, modest decline with age is entirely normal; eGFR tends to fall a little each decade in healthy adults. What your GP watches for is an accelerating decline, or readings that consistently sit below 60 mL/min/1.73m² over several months. Short-term dips can also happen with dehydration, a viral illness, or starting a new medication — these usually recover once the cause resolves. If you have had more than one eGFR result, your GP will compare them to understand whether function is stable or changing, which is a much more useful picture than any single number.

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