Estimation of glomerular filtration rate in cancer patients with abnormal body composition and relation with carboplatin toxicity.

PURPOSE

Carboplatin clearance is correlated with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and usually estimated with creatinine clearance using Cockcroft-Gault (CG) formula. Because plasma creatinine level is highly correlated with muscle mass, we hypothesized that an abnormal body composition with a low lean body mass (LBM) percentage [(LBM/weight) × 100] may result in inadequate carboplatin dosing. Serum cystatin C is an alternative marker of GFR, not affected by muscle mass. We aimed to investigate the influence of total LBM and LBM percentage on GFR calculation, using creatinine (CrCl) or cystatin C (GFR) in cancer patients.

METHODS

Pretreatment serum creatinine and cystatin C were prospectively measured in consecutive patients. CrCl (CG formula), GFR (CKD-EPI creatinine-cystatin equation), and LBM (CT scan) were calculated. Severe thrombocytopenia post-carboplatin were analyzed.

RESULTS

In 131 patients without renal insufficiency, LBM was correlated with creatinine (r = 0.30, p < 0.005) but not with cystatin C (r = -0.07, p = 0.43). In patients with the lowest LBM percentage, the CrCl was significantly higher than GFR indicating an overestimation of GFR with creatinine (p = 0.0004). In 24 patients treated with carboplatin AUC 5 (mg/ml min) ± paclitaxel, the risk of severe thrombocytopenia was associated with lower LBM percentage (p = 0.0002) and higher CrCl/GFR ratio (p = 0.006). By ROC analysis, the CrCl/GFR ratio threshold predicting severe thrombocytopenia was 1.23.

CONCLUSIONS

A low LBM percentage increases the risk of inadequate GFR calculation by CG formula, and carboplatin overdosage with severe thrombocytopenia. High CrCl/GFR ratio allows the identification of these patients.