AboutDr. Shamik Shah, MBBS, MD, DNB (Nephrology), ISN Fellow Expertise I can answer all questions related to kidney diseases, hypertension, plasmapheresis and kidney transplantation. I am a Board certified Nephrologist in India. I was a post-Doctoral Scholar at the Division of Nephrology & Hypertension,Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego. My area of interest is Critical care Nephrology and Acute Kidney Injury.
Experience 8 years
Publications Shah SH, Mehta RL. Acute kidney injury in critical care: time for a paradigm shift? Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens. 2006 Nov;15(6):561-5.
Shah, SH, Soroko S, Lischer E, Mehta RL. Delivered vs. Prescribed dose of Dialysis in Hospitalized Patients: Results of an Audit. J Am Soc Nephrol 17(Abstracts Issue): 2006, 107A.
Abdeen O, Shah SH, Mehta RL; “Dialysis therapies in the surgical intensive care unit”; William Wilson, Christopher Grande, David Hoyt Eds. Trauma: Resuscitation, Anesthesia, and Critical Care, Informa Healthcare 2007. ISBN 08247-2920-X
Shah SH, Mehta RL. “Non-dialytic management of acute kidney disease”; Evidence based Nephrology, BMJ, (In press)
Education/Credentials MBBS, MD (Internal Medicine), Diplomate of National board (Nephrology)
Awards and Honors Fellowship of the International Society of Nephrology 2005.
Young Investigator Award by the International Society of Peritoneal Dialysis, June 2001
Question I am a 69 year old (70 in August) non-African-American female. I am physically active (Pilates, Jazzercize and tennis, each at least twice a week)and, I had been thinking, in generally good health, with well-controlled blood pressure and cholesterol. "eGFR" suddenly appeared as a category in report of "routine" lab test ordered as follow-up to change in blood pressure meds (Vasotec,from 5 mg. to 10 mg. - current bp average 127/75). Creatinine level is 1.06 mg/dl; BUN, 20 mg/dl; eGFR, 51 mL/min/1.73m2>OR=60. Should this be a cause for worry/panic or, as I have read elsewhere, could age and muscle mass affect interpretation of the eGFR?
Answer Hi Joanne,
Thanks for your question.
You are right, age and muscle mass both affect the interpretation of GFR. After the age of 30, GFR declines at the rate of 1 ml/min/1.73 m2 every year. Even if you started out with a GFR of 90, it would have dropped to 50 by this age.
I don't think this GFR value should be a cause of concern.
And, congratulations on your healthy lifestyle. Keep it up.
