MyHealthPEI Education Resource – Kidney Function Panel

Why was a Kidney Function Panel ordered?

A kidney function panel is a group of tests that check how well your kidneys are working. These tests use your blood and pee (urine) to look for signs of problems. Your kidneys help your body by:

• Balancing fluids and hormones
• Cleaning waste from your blood
• Making urine to get rid of that waste

Sometimes, a result might be a little outside the normal range, but that doesn’t always mean something is wrong. If you’re worried, please follow your usual steps for asking health care questions, as recommended by your health care providers.

When is a Kidney Function panel used?

Health care providers order this test if you:

• Have high blood pressure, diabetes, or kidney disease
• See blood or foam in your pee
• Feel pain or burning when you pee

What is most important in a Kidney Function panel?

Blood tests for kidney function include:

• Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN): Measures nitrogen in your blood, which your body makes when it breaks down protein.
• Estimated GFR (eGFR): Shows how well your kidneys are cleaning your blood. What is a normal range for you is based on specifics about you, such as age and genetics.
• Serum Creatinine: A waste from muscles. Too much can mean your kidneys aren’t working well.

A provider may also recommend urine tests, including:

• Microalbuminuria: Looks for a protein called albumin, which can be a sign of kidney problems.
• Urinalysis: Checks your pee for blood, protein, acid levels, and other signs of kidney issues (for example, the presence of tiny, tubelike particles, called casts, and crystals).

What could a Kidney Function panel find?

This test can help to find:

• Kidney problems or damage.
• Your risk of kidney disease or kidney failure.
• How other health problems might be affecting your kidneys.

This page is just for information. Always talk to your health care provider if you have questions.