New eGFR equations: Implications for cardiologists and racial inequities

Abstract

Recently, a new equation to predict estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) that does not include a variable for race has been endorsed by professional organizations and increasingly adopted by clinical laboratories. We discuss the reasoning behind the development of the new equation, implications for cardiologists, and how the new eGFR equation could impact disparities in the cardiovascular care of these patients. Race, a social construct, is a poor proxy for biological variability. Clinical trials which recruit underrepresented minorities and advances in genomic medicine could accelerate the development of personalized medicine and help decrease inequalities in clinical outcomes.

Keywords

• Racial disparities
• Inequities
• Chronic kidney disease
• Cardiovascular disease