Schwartz Pediatric eGFR Calculator

About this calculator

The Schwartz formula estimates a child’s glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) — a key measure of kidney function — using height and serum creatinine, since the adult formulas used for eGFR (like CKD-EPI) aren’t valid for pediatric patients whose muscle mass and creatinine production change as they grow. The original and “bedside” Schwartz formulas take the form eGFR = (k × height in cm) ÷ serum creatinine, where k is a constant that varies by age group and sex to account for typical muscle mass at each developmental stage.

Pediatric nephrologists and pediatricians use this eGFR estimate to screen for chronic kidney disease, monitor kidney function over time, and adjust dosing for medications that are cleared renally, since a fixed adult reference range would misclassify a healthy child’s normal, still-developing kidney function. The formula was revised in 2009 (the “bedside Schwartz” or CKiD equation) to improve accuracy against measured GFR using modern, standardized creatinine assays.