Carboplatin GFR Calculation: A Guide for Optimized Dosing

GFR refers to the glomerular filtration rate of the kidney. Basically, this rate describes how fast the kidney can completely eliminate a substance from the body. Different clearance rates can be calculated for many different drugs, and a wide variety of factors affect those rates. Often, calculating an accurate clearance rate plays a vital role in optimizing dosing regimens, particularly in the elderly or those with impaired renal function. Carboplatin is a chemotherapy drug primarily eliminated by the kidney. Since it has serious side effects, you need to calculate an accurate clearance rate in order to maximize therapeutic benefit and minimizing harm.

Things You'll Need

• Laboratory access
• Serum creatinine sample

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Instructions

• 1

  Recognize that carboplatin clearance is often calculated from creatinine clearance. Studies have shown a direct relation between carboplatin clearance and GFR; due to ease and cost effectiveness in a clinical setting, GFR is usually calculated from creatinine clearance.

• 2

  Obtain a serum creatinine sample. This step requires a blood sample to be tested for creatinine concentration. Most likely, you need to visit your doctor's office for this step. He will then send the sample to a laboratory.

• 3

  Calculate creatinine clearance rate using the modified Cockcroft-Gault formula: Creatinine clearance = [(140-age (in years)) X weight (kg)/ (72 X serum creatinine)]. If you are female, multiply the calculated creatinine clearance by 0.85.