**Your Kidney Report Card**

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| **[Lab         | *     | **[What does that mean?]{.underline}**     |
| test]          | *Your |                                            |
| {.underline}** | [re   |                                            |
|                | sults |                                            |
|                | ]{.un |                                            |
|                | derli |                                            |
|                | ne}** |                                            |
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| **Glomerular   |       | GFR is a measure of the how well the       |
| Filtration**   |       | kidneys filter blood.                      |
|                |       |                                            |
| **Rate (GFR)** |       | Low levels mean the kidneys are not        |
|                |       | working well.                              |
| Female:100     |       |                                            |
|                |       | ![](media/image1.wmf){width="0.34375in"    |
| Male: 125      |       | height="0.4479166666666667in"}             |
|                |       |                                            |
|                |       | Your GFR result means: ** Stage 2 (60 -   |
|                |       | 89)**                                      |
|                |       |                                            |
|                |       | ** Stage 3 (30 - 59)**                    |
|                |       |                                            |
|                |       | ** Stage 4 (15 - 29)**                    |
|                |       |                                            |
|                |       | ** Stage 5 (less than 15)**               |
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| **Creatinine** |       | Creatinine is a waste product from         |
|                |       | muscles.                                   |
| Female: 0.6 -- |       |                                            |
| 1.0 mg/dL      |       | High levels mean the kidneys are not       |
|                |       | working well.                              |
| Male: 0.8 --   |       |                                            |
| 1.3 mg/dL      |       |                                            |
+----------------+-------+--------------------------------------------+
| **BUN**        |       | BUN is Blood Urea Nitrogen.                |
|                |       |                                            |
| 7.0 - 18.0     |       | High levels mean the kidneys are not       |
| mg/dL          |       | working well.                              |
|                |       |                                            |
|                |       | High levels can cause poor appetite.       |
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| **Albumin**    |       | Albumin is a protein in the blood. It      |
|                |       | helps keep water balance. Low levels may   |
| 3.4 - 5.0 g/dL |       | mean you need to eat more food, including  |
|                |       | protein foods. Low levels may show up as   |
|                |       | swelling (edema).                          |
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| *              |       | ![](media                                  |
| *Bicarbonate** |       | /image2.wmf){width="0.49236111111111114in" |
|                |       | height="0.5069444444444444in"}Bicarbonate  |
| 22 - 32 mEq/L  |       | helps balance acid in the blood. Your      |
|                |       | doctor may prescribe sodium bicarbonate    |
|                |       | pills when this is low.                    |
|                |       |                                            |
|                |       | Low levels mean too much acid in the       |
|                |       | blood.                                     |
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| **Potassium**  |       | Potassium is a mineral in the blood. Very  |
|                |       | high or very low levels are dangerous.     |
| 3.6 - 5.2      |       | Medications can affect potassium levels.   |
| mEq/L          |       |                                            |
|                |       | ![](medi                                   |
|                |       | a/image3.wmf){width="0.3229166666666667in" |
|                |       | height="0.2916666666666667in"}High levels  |
|                |       | can stop the heart beat.                   |
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| **Calcium**    |       | Calcium is a mineral in the blood. Calcium |
|                |       | comes out of the bones when kidneys are    |
| Stage 3: 8.4   |       | not working well.                          |
| -- 10.5        |       |                                            |
|                |       |                                            |
| Stage 4: 8.4   |       |                                            |
| -- 10.5        |       |                                            |
|                |       |                                            |
| ![](medi       |       |                                            |
| a/image4.wmf){ |       |                                            |
| width="0.38194 |       |                                            |
| 44444444444in" |       |                                            |
| height="0.     |       |                                            |
| 50625in"}Stage |       |                                            |
| 5: 8.4 -- 9.5  |       |                                            |
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| **Phosphorus** |       | Phosphorus is a mineral used by the body.  |
|                |       | Your doctor may prescribe phosphorus       |
| Stage 3: 2.7   |       | binding pills to take with meals.          |
| -- 4.6         |       |                                            |
|                |       | ![](media                                  |
| Stage 4: 2.7   |       | /image2.wmf){width="0.48680555555555555in" |
| -- 4.6         |       | height="0.5131944444444444in"}High levels  |
|                |       | cause soft bones, hard blood vessels and   |
| Stage 5: 3.5   |       | itchy skin.                                |
| -- 5.5         |       |                                            |
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| ![](medi       |        | PTH is parathyroid hormone.                |
| a/image4.wmf){ |        |                                            |
| width="0.32291 |        | High levels can cause soft bones and hard  |
| 66666666667in" |        | blood vessels.                             |
| height="0.     |        |                                            |
| 19791666666666 |        |                                            |
| 666in"}**PTH** |        |                                            |
|                |        |                                            |
| Stage 3: 35-70 |        |                                            |
|                |        |                                            |
| Stage 4:       |        |                                            |
| 70-110         |        |                                            |
|                |        |                                            |
| Stage 5: 150   |        |                                            |
| -- 300         |        |                                            |
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| **Hemoglobin** |        | A low level of hemoglobin is called        |
|                |        | anemia. Your doctor may prescribe shots of |
| 11 -- 12 mg/dL |        | erythropoietin to help you make more       |
|                |        | hemoglobin.                                |
| ![](media      |        |                                            |
| /image5.jpeg){ |        |                                            |
| width="0.49791 |        |                                            |
| 66666666667in" |        |                                            |
| he             |        |                                            |
| ight="0.373611 |        |                                            |
| 1111111111in"} |        |                                            |
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| Transferrin    |        | TSAT measures the amount of iron that can  |
| Saturation     |        | be used to make hemoglobin. Transferrin is |
| (TSAT)         |        | the protein that carries iron in the       |
|                |        | blood. Your doctor may prescribe iron      |
| 20-50 %        |        | pills or iron shots.                       |
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| # Ferritin     |        | Ferritin is a form of iron that is stored  |
|                |        | by the body.                               |
| 100-800 ng/mL  |        |                                            |
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| *              |        | Your doctor may prescribe medication to    |
| *Cholesterol** |        | lower cholesterol. Eat less saturated and  |
|                |        | trans fats to help keep cholesterol lower. |
| ![](medi       |        |                                            |
| a/image3.wmf){ |        | High levels clog blood vessels, including  |
| width="0.32291 |        | those in the kidneys.                      |
| 66666666667in" |        |                                            |
| height         |        |                                            |
| ="0.2916666666 |        |                                            |
| 666667in"}less |        |                                            |
| than 200 mg/dL |        |                                            |
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| **HDL**        |        | HDL is the good cholesterol. Exercise,     |
|                |        | weight loss and quitting smoking helps     |
| more than 40   |        | increase HDL. Talk to your doctor before   |
| mg/dL          |        | starting any new exercise.                 |
|                |        |                                            |
|                |        | Higher HDL is better.                      |
+----------------+--------+--------------------------------------------+
| **LDL**        |        | LDL is the bad cholesterol. Your doctor    |
|                |        | may prescribe pills to help lower LDL.     |
| less than 100  |        |                                            |
| mg/dL          |        | High levels can clog blood vessels.        |
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| **T            |        | Triglyceride is another name for fat in    |
| riglycerides** |        | the blood. Alcohol, fat and carbohydrates  |
|                |        | increase triglycerides. Fish, exercise,    |
| less than 150  |        | better diabetes control and weight loss    |
| mg/dL          |        | helps lower triglycerides.                 |
|                |        |                                            |
|                |        | High levels may clog blood vessels.        |
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| **A1C** - *for |        | A1C measures average blood sugar levels    |
| diabetes*      |        | over 2 -- 3 months.                        |
|                |        |                                            |
| under 7        |        | High levels mean diabetes is not well      |
|                |        | controlled.                                |
|                |        |                                            |
|                |        | IHS Kidney Disease Program 6/06            |
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