1. What is the Cockroft-Gault Equation?

The Cockroft-Gault equation estimates creatinine clearance (CrCl) from serum creatinine, age, weight, and sex. It's commonly used for drug dosing adjustments in patients with kidney impairment.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Cockroft-Gault equation:

Where:

• \( age \) — Age in years
• \( weight \) — Weight in kilograms
• \( SCr \) — Serum creatinine (mg/dL)
• 0.85 — Female multiplier

Explanation: The equation estimates creatinine clearance based on the patient's demographic factors and serum creatinine level.

3. Importance of CrCl Calculation

Details: Creatinine clearance estimation is crucial for adjusting medication dosages in patients with impaired kidney function to prevent drug toxicity.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter age in years, weight in kg, serum creatinine in mg/dL, and select gender. All values must be valid (age between 1-120, weight > 0, creatinine > 0).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use Cockroft-Gault instead of eGFR?
A: Cockroft-Gault is traditionally used for drug dosing, though many institutions are transitioning to using CKD-EPI eGFR.

Q2: What are normal CrCl values?
A: Normal is generally 90-120 mL/min for young adults, decreasing with age. Below 60 mL/min indicates impaired kidney function.

Q3: Should ideal body weight be used?
A: For obese patients, some clinicians use adjusted body weight or ideal body weight in the calculation.

Q4: Are there limitations to this equation?
A: Less accurate in extremes of age, weight, muscle mass, and in patients with rapidly changing kidney function.

Q5: Is this equation validated for all populations?
A: The equation was derived primarily from white male patients and may be less accurate in other populations.