Use this value for renal drug dosing adjustments (not for CKD staging).
The Cockcroft-Gault equation is the standard clinical method used to estimate creatinine clearance (CrCl) for the purpose of adjusting drug dosages in patients with renal impairment.
The Formula
eGFR vs. CrCl — Which to use?
While eGFR (CKD-EPI) is used by nephrologists to diagnose and stage Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), the vast majority of pharmacokinetic studies and FDA/EMA drug labels use Cockcroft-Gault (CrCl) to determine renal dose adjustments.
- Use CrCl for dosing antibiotics (Vancomycin, Aminoglycosides, Beta-lactams), DOACs (Apixaban, Rivaroxaban), and Chemotherapy.
- Use eGFR for staging kidney disease (G1-G5).
Weight Considerations
In significantly obese patients (BMI > 30), using Actual Body Weight in the Cockcroft-Gault equation will overestimate kidney function. It is standard practice to use Ideal Body Weight (IBW) or an Adjusted Body Weight in obese patients. You can calculate IBW using our IBW Calculator.