The Renal Function Panel test contains 1 test with 13 biomarkers.
Description: A renal panel is a blood test that is used to screen for, diagnose, and monitor a variety of conditions and diseases such as diabetes and kidney disease.
Also Known As: Kidney Panel Test, Kidney Function Panel Test
Collection Method: Blood Draw
Specimen Type: Serum
Test Preparation: Fasting Specimen Preferred
When is a Renal Function Panel test ordered:
When someone has risk factors for kidney disease, such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, excessive cholesterol, or a family history of kidney disease, a health practitioner may recommend a renal panel.
When someone has signs and symptoms of kidney illness, a health professional may order a renal panel, albeit early kidney disease often has no symptoms. It can be discovered with routine blood or urine tests at first.
When someone is being treated for kidney disease, a renal panel may be done at regular intervals for monitoring purposes.
What does a Renal Function Panel blood test check for?
A renal panel is a collection of tests that can be used to assess kidney function. To establish the current condition of the kidneys, the tests measure levels of numerous chemicals in the blood, including many minerals, electrolytes, proteins, and glucose.
The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs placed on the right and left sides of the back at the bottom of the ribcage. They filter about 150 quarts of blood per day on average, eliminating waste products from food breakdown and normal cell activity. The kidneys produce urine to evacuate excess water from the body as well as waste materials from the bloodstream.
The kidneys assist in the regulation of pH and levels of essential chemicals in the body, such as potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, chloride, and bicarbonate, by separating them from waste materials and releasing them back into the blood, releasing only as much or as little as is required to maintain normal blood levels.
Waste products can build up in the blood and fluid levels can rise to dangerous levels if the kidneys aren't working properly, causing damage to the body or a potentially life-threatening situation. Kidney injury can be caused by a variety of illnesses and diseases. Diabetes and hypertension are the most common causes of renal disease and major risk factors.
Lab tests often ordered with a Renal Function Panel test:
- Albumin
- Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)
- Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP)
- CO2
- Calcium
- Chloride
- Creatinine
- Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)
- Cystatin C with eGFR
- Electrolyte Panel
- Glucose
- Potassium
- Phosphorus
- Sodium
- Microalbumin
- Beta-2 Microglobulin
- Complete Blood Count (CBC)
- Urinalysis Complete
- Urine Protein
Conditions where a Renal Function Panel test is recommended:
- Kidney Disease
- High Blood Pressure
- Diabetes
- Proteinuria
- Hematuria
How does my health care provider use a Renal Function Panel test?
A renal panel can be used to assess kidney function, diagnose kidney-related illnesses, screen people who might develop kidney disease, or monitor someone who has already been diagnosed with kidney disease.
A urinalysis, urine protein, or creatinine clearance are some of the various laboratory tests that can be done to monitor kidney function. A urine albumin test, which analyzes small levels of albumin leakage from the blood into the urine, can also be used to detect early kidney impairment in people with diabetes or high blood pressure. An albumin/creatinine ratio can be estimated by measuring both albumin and creatinine in a random urine sample. This might be done to detect how much albumin is escaping from the kidneys into the urine more precisely.
What do my Renal Panel test results mean?
The findings of a renal panel test are not diagnostic; rather, they indicate that there may be a problem with the kidneys and that additional testing is needed to make a diagnosis and determine the reason. The panel's results are usually weighed jointly rather than separately. Individual test results may be abnormal for reasons other than kidney disease, but when combined with risks and/or signs and symptoms, they may indicate the presence of renal disease.
We advise having your results reviewed by a licensed medical healthcare professional for proper interpretation of your results.