Interpretation of Your Kidney Function Tests
Overall Assessment
Your kidney function tests indicate normal kidney function with no evidence of chronic kidney disease, though your urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio is mildly elevated and warrants monitoring.
Individual Test Results Interpretation
Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR): 98 mL/min/1.73 m²
This is normal kidney function. An eGFR of 98 mL/min/1.73 m² falls well within the normal range for healthy adults, which is approximately 100-130 mL/min/1.73 m² for men and 90-120 mL/min/1.73 m² for women under age 40 1.
You do not meet criteria for chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD is defined as eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m² or presence of albuminuria ≥30 mg/g creatinine 2. Your eGFR is significantly above this threshold.
This represents optimal kidney filtration capacity. An eGFR ≥90 mL/min/1.73 m² is considered optimal kidney function and is the recommended threshold for living kidney donors 1.
Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN): 18 mg/dL
- This is within normal limits. BUN typically ranges from 7-20 mg/dL in healthy adults, and your value of 18 mg/dL indicates normal protein metabolism and kidney clearance of urea.
Serum Creatinine: 0.63 mg/dL
This is a low-normal value. This low creatinine level is consistent with your excellent eGFR and indicates good kidney filtration function 2.
Serum creatinine alone should never be used to assess kidney function because it is affected by muscle mass, creatinine generation, tubular secretion, and extrarenal excretion independent of GFR 2.
Symmetric Dimethylarginine (SDMA): 88 µg/dL
This value appears extraordinarily elevated and is likely an error or represents a different unit of measurement. Normal SDMA values in humans are typically <15 µg/dL. An SDMA of 88 µg/dL would indicate severe kidney dysfunction, which directly contradicts your normal eGFR, BUN, and creatinine. This discrepancy suggests either:
- A laboratory error
- Incorrect unit reporting (possibly µg/L instead of µg/dL)
- SDMA testing intended for veterinary use (commonly used in dogs/cats)
You should verify this result with your healthcare provider immediately as it does not align with your other kidney function markers.
Urine Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio (UACR): 33 mg/g
This is mildly elevated and indicates early kidney damage. Normal UACR is defined as <30 mg/g creatinine 1. Your value of 33 mg/g places you in the category of moderately increased albuminuria (30-300 mg/g) 3.
This finding is significant even with normal eGFR. The presence of albuminuria ≥30 mg/g creatinine meets criteria for kidney disease regardless of eGFR 2. Both GFR and albuminuria should be assessed together, as an eGFR persistently <60 mL/min/1.73 m² in concert with urine albumin >30 mg/g creatinine is considered abnormal 1.
If you have diabetes, this requires specific monitoring and treatment. Patients with diabetes and urinary albumin ≥30 mg/g should be monitored at least annually, and those with albumin ≥300 mg/g or eGFR 30-60 mL/min/1.73 m² should be monitored twice annually 3.
Clinical Implications and Recommendations
Immediate Actions
Repeat the UACR test in 3 months to confirm persistence, as CKD diagnosis requires persistent abnormalities for ≥3 months and should not be based solely on a single measurement 1.
Clarify the SDMA result with your laboratory or healthcare provider, as this value is inconsistent with your other normal kidney markers.
Risk Factor Assessment
Screen for diabetes and hypertension if not already done, as these are the most common causes of CKD and albuminuria 4.
Optimize blood pressure control if hypertension is present, as this reduces the risk or slows progression of kidney disease 3.
Optimize glucose control if diabetes is present, as this reduces the risk or slows progression of chronic kidney disease 3.
Monitoring Strategy
Annual monitoring of both eGFR and UACR is recommended given your mildly elevated albumin level 3, 1.
A reduction of 30% or greater in urinary albumin is recommended if albuminuria persists, as this slows chronic kidney disease progression 3.
Important Caveats
Hydration status significantly impacts measurements and should be considered when interpreting values 1.
Non-steady state conditions such as acute illness, recent exercise, infection, fever, marked hyperglycemia, or hypertension can elevate creatinine independently of kidney damage 2.
Body composition extremes such as muscle mass or weight can affect eGFR accuracy 1.