Kidney disease screening
Early kidney disease usually has no symptoms, and testing is the only way to know how well your kidneys work. Two tests do it: a blood test for GFR and a urine test for albumin. Who needs them, and how often, depends on your risk. Your doctor decides. (NIDDK) (KDIGO, 2024)
Who gets kidney checks, by guideline
The bodies differ. There is no current USPSTF screening advice, while diabetes and kidney groups advise testing people at risk.
| Source | Who | How often |
|---|---|---|
| USPSTF | No current recommendation: the 2012 statement is marked out of date; update in progress, no draft posted | Not set (USPSTF) |
| ADA Standards of Care 2026 | Everyone with type 2 diabetes; type 1 after 5 years | Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) and eGFR at least once a year (ADA, 2026) |
| KDIGO 2024 | People at risk for or with chronic kidney disease | Test with both urine albumin and GFR; repeat to confirm an abnormal result (KDIGO, 2024) |
| NIDDK (NIH) | Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, or a family history of kidney failure | Every year with diabetes; otherwise ask your provider (NIDDK) |
The risk of chronic kidney disease also rises with age, and the longer someone has had diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease, the more likely it is. (NIDDK)
What the numbers mean, in plain words
| Result | What it may mean |
|---|---|
| GFR 60 or higher | In the normal range; ask when to check again (NIDDK) |
| GFR below 60 | May mean kidney disease (NIDDK) |
| GFR 15 or lower | Called kidney failure (NIDDK) |
| Urine albumin below 30 (mg/g) | Normal; the less albumin in urine, the better (NIDDK) |
| Urine albumin 30 or more (mg/g) | May mean kidney disease; KDIGO calls 30 to 300 moderately increased and over 300 severely increased (KDIGO, 2024) |
One result is not a diagnosis. KDIGO says to repeat the tests to confirm, and chronic kidney disease is defined by kidney changes, such as a GFR below 60 or urine albumin of 30 or more, that last more than 3 months. (KDIGO, 2024) GFR is estimated from creatinine, a waste product from muscle that your kidneys remove from the blood. (NIDDK) Your doctor reads your numbers with your age and history.
Questions people ask
Who should get a kidney function test?
The NIDDK says to get checked if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or a family history of kidney failure. KDIGO 2024 says to test people at risk with both a urine albumin test and a GFR assessment. Your risk also rises with age. (NIDDK) (NIDDK) (KDIGO, 2024)
How often should kidney function be checked?
With diabetes, at least once a year (ADA 2026; the NIDDK also says every year). With high blood pressure, heart disease or a family history of kidney failure, the NIDDK says to ask your health care provider how often. (ADA, 2026) (NIDDK)
Does the USPSTF recommend kidney screening for everyone?
There is no current USPSTF recommendation. Its 2012 statement is marked out of date, and an update is in progress with no draft recommendation posted as of October 29, 2026. (USPSTF)
Does one low eGFR mean I have kidney disease?
Not on its own. KDIGO says to repeat the tests to confirm, and chronic kidney disease means the changes last more than 3 months. Your doctor reads the result with your history. (KDIGO, 2024)
Related
- Kidney test results: eGFR, uACR and CKD stages explained
- Urinalysis results: what a routine urine test shows
- Screenings if you have diabetes
- Screenings if you have high blood pressure
- Blood pressure screening: who and how often
- Diabetes screening: who and how often
- Blood tests by age
- Family history: when screening starts earlier