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What is included in a renal function test (renal panel)?

A renal panel is a number of individual lab tests that are grouped together as they give valuable information about the kidneys, ureters (the structures that carry urine), and bladder. Together these structures are known as the “renal system,” and are responsible for controlling the balance of fluid and electrolytes in the body. The tests that are always included in a renal panel are:

  • Sodium, potassium, and chloride: These are the basic electrolytes; they are regulated by the kidney, and failure of this regulation or failure of the kidney itself will be seen as a change in these levels. 
  • Phosphorus and calcium: While technically electrolytes, these are commonly called minerals. They are regulated by the hormones in the body and the intestines. The kidneys still play a role in their regulation.
  • Creatinine (Cr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN): The Cr and BUN are the best markers of kidney function. The Cr is one of the first things to increase if the kidneys are damaged. The BUN level can be compared to the Cr level to give more information about what is causing damage to the kidneys.
  • Albumin: Albumin is a basic protein found in the blood. If the kidneys are damaged, this protein is able to seep out into the urine, decreasing its levels in the body. A low blood albumin combined with a high urine albumin level indicates that protein is being lost into the urine.

* Savings estimate based on a study of more than 1 billion claims comparing self-pay (or cash pay) prices of a frequency-weighted market basket of procedures to insurer-negotiated rates for the same. Claims were collected between July 2017 and July 2019. R.Lawrence Van Horn, Arthur Laffer, Robert L.Metcalf. 2019. The Transformative Potential for Price Transparency in Healthcare: Benefits for Consumers and Providers. Health Management Policy and Innovation, Volume 4, Issue 3.

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