Laboratories may report different eGFR values based on a person's race. For example,
the report may contain:
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•
One eGFR value for the person’s identified race,
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•
One eGFR value for African Americans and a second eGFR value for other races, or
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•
One eGFR value for other races and an instruction to multiply this value by an adjustment
factor (usually recorded next to the eGFR value in the laboratory report) if the person
is African American.
On September 23, 2021, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and American Society of
Nephrology (ASN), published a report recommending that laboratories should not include
race in eGFR calculation and reporting.[1] In response to this recommendation, we will use the unadjusted eGFR value for all
persons, regardless of race. Some examples of how laboratories may report the unadjusted
eGFR value include “eGFR,” “eGFR Non-African American,” “eGFR Non-Black,” or “eGFR
Caucasian.”
If the person is African American, and the laboratory reports:
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•
An unadjusted eGFR value and an eGFR value for African Americans, use the unadjusted
eGFR value.
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•
An unadjusted eGFR value and an instruction to multiply this value by an adjustment
factor if the person is African American, use the unadjusted eGFR value. Do not multiply
the eGFR value by the adjustment factor.
Contact the medical source to obtain the unadjusted eGFR if the person is African American and the laboratory reports:
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•
One eGFR value for African Americans, or
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•
One eGFR value and it is unclear whether the eGFR value was adjusted for race,
AND
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•
All of the following conditions apply:
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–
There are no other laboratory findings in the medical evidence that satisfy the criteria
in listing 6.05A,
and
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–
The person has at least one of the additional impairments required in listing 6.05B,
and
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–
Using the unadjusted eGFR value may change the determination of the claim.
NOTE: Many laboratories currently report the unadjusted eGFR value and more laboratories
will do so as they implement NKF and ASN’s recommendation. We only need to contact
the medical source if all the conditions listed above apply. To expedite development,
we may use the telephone to obtain the unadjusted eGFR. For more information on obtaining
medical evidence by telephone, see DI 22505.030.