eGFR Levels Chart: Kidney Function Test Results, Creatinine & ACR
A kidney function test usually means two results: eGFR from a blood test and ACR from a urine test. An eGFR of 90 or more is normal, 60–89 is mildly decreased, and below 60 for more than 3 months counts as chronic kidney disease (CKD). A urine ACR below 3 mg/mmol (UK) or 30 mg/g (US) is normal. A raised ACR points to kidney damage even when eGFR looks fine. One result can’t diagnose CKD (KDIGO 2024; NICE NG203).
Units: eGFR is mL/min/1.73m² in both countries. Creatinine: µmol/L ÷ 88.4 = mg/dL. ACR: mg/mmol × 8.84 ≈ mg/g. Creatinine conversion.
Where do my kidney results sit?
Type the eGFR from your report. Add your urine ACR to see your place on the KDIGO heat map. Everything is worked out on your device, and nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
eGFR levels chart
eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) uses mL/min/1.73m² in the US and UK alike. The colored bar shows the KDIGO 2024 categories.
Sources: KDIGO 2024; NICE NG203; Mayo Clinic Laboratories; National Kidney Foundation. Full references below.
| eGFR (mL/min/1.73m²) | KDIGO category | What it often means |
|---|---|---|
| 90 or more | G1: normal or high | Normal filtering. CKD only with a sign of damage, such as a raised ACR |
| 60 to 89 | G2: mildly decreased | Common with age. CKD only with a sign of damage |
| 45 to 59 | G3a: mildly to moderately decreased | CKD if it lasts more than 3 months |
| 30 to 44 | G3b: moderately to severely decreased | CKD if it lasts more than 3 months |
| 15 to 29 | G4: severely decreased | Severe CKD. Specialist care is usual |
| Below 15 | G5: kidney failure | Care from a kidney team |
eGFR normal range by age (NKF averages, not cut-offs): 20–29: 116; 30–39: 107; 40–49: 99; 50–59: 93; 60–69: 85; 70 and over: 75. “eGFR declines with age, even in people without kidney disease” (NKF).
ACR urine test results
The urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR, uACR, or microalbumin/creatinine ratio) looks for albumin leaking through the kidney’s filters. Dividing by urine creatinine corrects for how dilute the sample is. KDIGO’s factor is mg/g × 0.113 = mg/mmol, so mg/mmol × 8.84 ≈ mg/g.
KDIGO rounds its mg/g cut-offs, so 30 and 300 mg/g sit just right of 3 and 30 mg/mmol. Sources: KDIGO 2024; NICE NG203 and NG133.
| Category | UK (mg/mmol) | US (mg/g) | KDIGO term |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Below 3 | Below 30 | Normal to mildly increased |
| A2 | 3 to 30 | 30 to 300 | Moderately increased (older term: microalbuminuria) |
| A3 | Above 30 | Above 300 | Severely increased |
Each country uses its own round numbers: exactly, 3 mg/mmol is 26.5 mg/g. Some US labs differ slightly: Labcorp prints 30–299 mg/g for A2, and Mayo Clinic Laboratories uses limits of 17 mg/g for men and 25 for women.
One raised ACR needs confirming on a first-morning sample (KDIGO; NICE, for a first ACR of 3 to 70 mg/mmol). Labcorp looks for 2 abnormal results out of 3 over 3 to 6 months. Blood albumin is a different test: see albumin levels.
eGFR and ACR together: the KDIGO heat map
KDIGO classifies CKD by both numbers, and NICE uses the same grid. Risk rises as you move down (less filtering) or right (more albumin). Risk means CKD getting worse, heart and blood vessel disease, and death (NKF).
| eGFR | A1<3 mg/mmol <30 mg/g | A23–30 mg/mmol 30–300 mg/g | A3>30 mg/mmol >300 mg/g |
|---|---|---|---|
| G190+ | Low | Moderate | High |
| G260–89 | Low | Moderate | High |
| G3a45–59 | Moderate | High | Very high |
| G3b30–44 | High | Very high | Very high |
| G415–29 | Very high | Very high | Very high |
| G5<15 | Very high | Very high | Very high |
Colors and wording from KDIGO 2024 (“Prognosis of CKD by GFR and albuminuria categories”). Green also means no CKD if there are no other signs of kidney damage.
Two patterns matter. A normal eGFR with a raised ACR can still mean kidney disease (NKF). A mildly low eGFR with a normal ACR (G2, A1) is green and isn’t CKD on its own.
What kidney function tests actually tell you
Your kidneys are a filter you can’t watch, so the detective works from the traces it leaves:
- How much gets through (eGFR). Creatinine is a waste product from muscle that healthy kidneys clear. When filtering slows, it builds up in the blood. Your lab puts creatinine, age and sex into an equation to estimate the filtering rate, so higher creatinine usually means lower eGFR.
- What leaks through (ACR). Healthy filters hold on to albumin. Damaged ones let it into the urine.
Early CKD usually has no symptoms (NHS), so tests are often the only clue. Diabetes and high blood pressure can both damage the kidneys (NHS), so your blood sugar and blood pressure matter here too.
What your eGFR number means
Each category is a case file: clues, usual suspects, the next lead and questions. In G1 and G2, your ACR decides most of the story.
eGFR 90 or more
Normal or high filtering. KDIGO and NICE count G1 as CKD only with a sign of kidney damage, most often a raised ACR, lasting more than 3 months.
- A raised ACR means damage even with a normal eGFR (NKF)
- Low muscle mass can make eGFR read too high (KDIGO 2024)
eGFR gets less precise above 60. Above 90, NICE treats a creatinine rise of more than 20% as a real fall.
Ask: Has my urine ACR been checked? How often should I be tested?
eGFR 60 to 89
Common with age (NKF’s average is 85 in your 60s). Without albuminuria or another sign of damage, G2 isn’t CKD (NICE; KDIGO 2024).
- Normal ageing
- Muscle, creatine supplements or meat before the test
- Dehydration or a recent illness
- Early kidney disease, if ACR is raised too
A urine ACR. If the result is new or lower than before, NKF suggests a repeat in 3 months.
Ask: Is this normal for my age? What’s my ACR? Is it lower than last time?
eGFR 45 to 59
Below 60 for more than 3 months meets the definition of CKD, even with a normal ACR. NICE repeats a first result below 60 within 2 weeks to rule out a short-term dip.
- Diabetes or high blood pressure (NHS)
- Age-related decline
- A short-term dip from dehydration or illness
Repeat eGFR and ACR. KDIGO adds cystatin C when a creatinine-based eGFR may be inaccurate (see US vs UK). Heat map: yellow with A1, orange with A2, red with A3.
Ask: Is this confirmed on a repeat? What’s my ACR? Do any of my medicine doses depend on my kidneys?
eGFR 30 to 44
Clearly reduced. Even with a normal ACR, KDIGO places G3b in the orange, high-risk cell; with any albuminuria it’s red.
- Creatinine above your lab’s range
- Many people feel well; some notice tiredness or swollen ankles (NHS)
The Kidney Failure Risk Equation (KFRE). NICE refers to a kidney specialist when the 5-year risk of needing dialysis or a transplant is above 5%; KDIGO suggests 3–5%.
Ask: What’s my KFRE score? Should I see a kidney specialist?
eGFR 15 to 29
Severely reduced. Every G4 cell on the heat map is red. NICE advises a kidney ultrasound scan for adults with CKD and a GFR below 30, and notes that anemia is more likely to come from the kidneys at this level.
- Possibly tiredness, swelling, breathlessness or feeling sick (NHS)
- Hemoglobin (haemoglobin) may be low
Ask: Am I under a kidney team? What are my potassium and hemoglobin?
eGFR below 15
KDIGO calls this kidney failure. Care, including dialysis or a transplant for some, is planned with a kidney team. If this result is new or you feel unwell, contact your doctor the same day.
- Tiredness, swelling, breathlessness, feeling or being sick (NHS)
- High potassium is a particular danger
NICE suggests eGFR checks at least 4 times a year.
Ask: Is this new or expected? What’s my potassium? What are my treatment options?
Creatinine levels: normal range and µmol/L to mg/dL
Creatinine is the blood result your eGFR is built from. It comes from muscle, so “normal” depends on your build and your lab:
| Lab (adults) | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| US: Mayo Clinic Laboratories | 0.74–1.35 mg/dL (65–119 µmol/L) | 0.59–1.04 mg/dL (52–92 µmol/L) |
| UK: North Bristol NHS Trust | 59–104 µmol/L (0.67–1.18 mg/dL) | 45–84 µmol/L (0.51–0.95 mg/dL) |
µmol/L ÷ 88.4 = mg/dL. mg/dL × 88.4 = µmol/L (Labcorp and Mayo Clinic Laboratories SI tables).
| µmol/L | mg/dL | µmol/L | mg/dL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 0.57 | 120 | 1.36 |
| 60 | 0.68 | 150 | 1.70 |
| 70 | 0.79 | 200 | 2.26 |
| 88.4 | 1.00 | 300 | 3.39 |
| 100 | 1.13 | 450 | 5.09 |
The checker converts creatinine but doesn’t turn it into eGFR: the equation also needs age and sex, and US and UK labs use different versions. For other tests, try our blood test unit converter.
Why US and UK eGFR can differ
- US: in 2021 the National Kidney Foundation and American Society of Nephrology recommended the 2021 CKD-EPI creatinine equation, which leaves out race (Inker, NEJM 2021). Mayo Clinic Laboratories uses it.
- UK: NICE (2021) uses the CKD-EPI creatinine equation without ethnicity adjustment. The UK Kidney Association says labs should use the 2009 version without the ethnicity coefficient until the 2021 version is validated in a UK cohort.
Both use the same units and G categories. The old ethnicity adjustment overestimated GFR in Black people in the UK (UKKA), so an older adjusted result may read higher.
Cystatin C: sources disagree. It’s a second blood marker of filtering. KDIGO 2024 recommends combining it with creatinine when a creatinine-based eGFR is less accurate and the result affects decisions, and NKF and ASN back it as a confirmatory test. NICE removed its cystatin C recommendations in 2021, citing weak evidence on accuracy.
What can throw off kidney test results
A careful detective rules out planted clues first.
Blood creatinine and eGFR
- Muscle mass. NICE urges caution at extremes of muscle mass. Frailty makes eGFR read too high (KDIGO 2024); a very muscular build can make it read too low.
- Meat. NICE advises no meat in the 12 hours before an eGFR blood test.
- Creatine and protein supplements have raised creatinine and lowered reported eGFR in people with healthy kidneys (BMJ 2010).
- Trimethoprim and cimetidine block creatinine secretion, raising creatinine without a true fall in filtering (Mayo Clinic Laboratories).
- Dehydration and acute illness can cause a real short-term drop (NHS), which is why NICE repeats a first low result within 2 weeks.
Urine ACR
- Exercise, fever, infection and periods. Intense exercise in the previous 24 hours, fever, infection including a urinary infection, and urinary or menstrual bleeding can give a falsely high result (NKF; Labcorp; Mayo).
- A spike in blood pressure or blood sugar can raise it too (NKF; Labcorp).
- Low muscle mass lowers urine creatinine, so ACR looks falsely high (KDIGO 2024).
Pregnancy and older age
Pregnancy
Filtering rises by 30 to 50%, peaking at 16 to 24 weeks, and creatinine falls to about 0.5–0.7 mg/dL (44–62 µmol/L) (Merck Manual). NICE says eGFR is less reliable in pregnancy, so a creatinine that looks normal on a standard range may be relatively high. Ask your maternity team. Urine protein is checked for pre-eclampsia with its own lines: NICE NG133 uses an ACR of 8 mg/mmol or a protein:creatinine ratio of 30 mg/mmol.
Older age
KDIGO 2024 describes an average age-associated fall in GFR, and NKF’s averages drop from 116 in your 20s to 75 from 70. G2 is common in older adults and isn’t CKD without other markers, while frailty can make eGFR read high. NICE says CKD care shouldn’t be decided by age alone.
Does an eGFR of 60 to 89 mean stage 2 kidney disease?
Not on its own. NICE marks G1 and G2 with a normal ACR as “No CKD if there are no other markers of kidney damage”, and KDIGO’s definition needs damage or an eGFR below 60 lasting more than 3 months. The opposite trap matters more: an eGFR above 90 doesn’t clear your kidneys if your ACR is raised.
Reading kidney tests on your lab report or app
- Names: eGFR or “eGFR (CKD-EPI)”; creatinine; urine ACR, uACR or microalbumin/creatinine ratio. UK creatinine sits in the U&E (urea and electrolytes) profile; US creatinine is in the basic metabolic panel (BMP) with BUN (MedlinePlus).
- Units: eGFR is the same everywhere. Creatinine is µmol/L (UK) or mg/dL (US); ACR is mg/mmol (UK) or mg/g (US).
- “>90”: how UK labs often report eGFR above 90 (NICE). Some US labs give 60 or more as the reference range.
- Flags and apps: “H” or “L” means outside that lab’s range. US portals often show results before your clinician comments; the NHS App may add a note from your GP practice.
- Nearby results: potassium, sodium and uric acid have their own guides. Kidney disease also raises heart risk (NKF), which affects how doctors read your cholesterol.
When to get help urgently
- Signs of acute kidney injury: peeing a lot less than usual, feeling very thirsty, feeling or being sick, swollen feet or legs, confusion or sleepiness, or breathlessness when lying down. Get an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 (NHS); in the US, contact your doctor or urgent care the same day. If you’re very drowsy, confused or struggling to breathe, call 999 or 911.
- A potassium of 6.5 mmol/L or more: UK guidance treats this as a medical emergency needing hospital assessment (Renal Association guideline, via North Bristol NHS Trust). See potassium levels.
- A new eGFR below 15, or a sudden rise in creatinine. NICE flags acute kidney injury at a rise of 26 µmol/L (about 0.3 mg/dL) within 48 hours, or 50% within 7 days. Contact your doctor the same day.
Kidney function test questions people ask
What is a normal eGFR level?
In adults, 90 or more is normal or high (G1). 60 to 89 is mildly decreased and common with age. It isn’t CKD without a sign of kidney damage, such as a raised urine ACR.
What is a normal eGFR for my age?
NKF’s averages: 116 at 20–29, 107 at 30–39, 99 at 40–49, 93 at 50–59, 85 at 60–69 and 75 at 70 and over. The G categories themselves don’t change with age.
Is an eGFR of 55 bad?
It’s G3a, mildly to moderately decreased. NICE repeats a first result below 60 within 2 weeks, and CKD needs more than 3 months. Your ACR shows how much risk it carries.
What is a normal creatinine level?
It depends on the lab and your muscle mass. Mayo Clinic Laboratories uses 0.74–1.35 mg/dL for men and 0.59–1.04 for women. North Bristol NHS Trust uses 59–104 µmol/L for men and 45–84 for women.
How do I convert creatinine from µmol/L to mg/dL?
Divide by 88.4. So 100 µmol/L is about 1.13 mg/dL, and 1.0 mg/dL is 88.4 µmol/L.
What does a high urine ACR mean?
Albumin is leaking through the kidney’s filters. 3 mg/mmol (30 mg/g) or more is raised. It needs a repeat, because exercise, fever, infection or a period can push it up.
Does one low eGFR mean I have kidney disease?
No. KDIGO says not to assume CKD from a single abnormal eGFR or ACR. CKD means the change lasts more than 3 months.
How we wrote this page
Written and medically reviewed by Dr. Mustafa Sakr, MBBCh. Last reviewed: October 2026. The numbers here come from current guidelines (KDIGO 2024, NICE, NKF-ASN, UK Kidney Association) and published lab reference intervals, listed below. We update this page when guidance changes.
How the checker works: it places your eGFR in a KDIGO 2024 G category and, if you add urine ACR, an A category with its heat-map color. It converts ACR with KDIGO’s factor (0.113) and creatinine with 88.4, but never calculates eGFR. Creatinine is compared with your lab’s range, or example US or UK ranges. Values that look like the wrong unit get a hint. Everything runs on your device. Nothing is stored or sent, and the checker can’t take account of your symptoms, medicines or history.
References
- KDIGO CKD Work Group. KDIGO 2024 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Chronic Kidney Disease. Kidney Int 2024;105(4S):S117–S314. kdigo.org (PDF) · Executive summary
- NICE. Chronic kidney disease: assessment and management (NG203), 2021. Recommendations · Rationale
- NICE. Acute kidney injury (NG148), recommendations updated 2024. nice.org.uk
- NICE. Hypertension in pregnancy (NG133), 2019, updated 2023. nice.org.uk
- NKF. NKF and ASN Release New Way to Diagnose Kidney Diseases, 2021; Inker LA, et al. New Creatinine- and Cystatin C-Based Equations to Estimate GFR without Race. N Engl J Med 2021;385:1737–1749. kidney.org · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2102953
- UK Kidney Association. Patient Safety Alert: kidney function measurement, 2023; Removing adjustment for ethnicity from eGFRcreatinine, 2021. Safety alert (PDF) · Ethnicity (PDF)
- National Kidney Foundation. eGFR, 2026; uACR, 2023; CKD Heat (Risk) Map, 2026. eGFR · uACR · Heat map (PDF)
- Mayo Clinic Laboratories. Creatinine with eGFR (CRTS1); Albumin, Random, Urine (ALBR); SI unit conversion. CRTS1 · ALBR · Conversion
- Labcorp. Microalbumin/Creatinine Ratio (test 140285); SI unit conversion table; CKD testing brochure, 2023. Test 140285 · Conversion · Brochure (PDF)
- North Bristol NHS Trust. Creatinine reference ranges; Hyperkalaemia in primary care, v12 (Renal Association 2023 guideline). Creatinine · Hyperkalaemia (PDF)
- NHS. Chronic kidney disease and Diagnosis, 2023; Acute kidney injury, 2026. CKD · Diagnosis · AKI
- Willis J, et al. Protein and creatine supplements and misdiagnosis of kidney disease. BMJ 2010;340:b5027. bmj.com
- Merck Manual Professional. Physiology of Pregnancy, 2024. merckmanuals.com
- Quest Diagnostics. 2024 Update to Clinical Practice Guidelines for CKD (heat-map risk tiers), 2024. questdiagnostics.com (PDF)
- MedlinePlus. Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP), 2024. medlineplus.gov
This page is for education only and isn’t medical advice, a diagnosis or a substitute for your own doctor, who knows your history. Reference ranges vary between laboratories. Always interpret results with a qualified clinician. See our medical disclaimer.
