Determination of the glomerular filtration rate by the minute diuresis at a specific gravity of 1001.

A new method is described for determination of the glomerular filtration rate, based on the fact that at an urinary specific gravity of 1001 the final urine is concentrated 6.67 times, as compared with the primary glomerular filtrate. The glomerular filtration rate is evaluated by multiplication of the minute diuresis at a specific gravity of 1001 by the factor 6.67. In this manner the chemical analysis of urine and blood is avoided. Urine with a specific gravity of 1001 is obtained by water loading much the same as in the dilution test of Volhard. For checking the accuracy of the method, comparative studies were conducted with creatinine clearance in 36 patients and with 51Cr-EDTA clearance in 33 patients. The difference in the values of the glomerular filtration rate, evaluated by the above-mentioned two methods and the new method was statistically not significant (p greater than 0.05). The method is recommended for the early detection of disturbances in the glomerular function prior to the occurrence of azotemia.