Plasma and renal clearance of iohexol--a study on the reproducibility of a method for the glomerular filtration rate.

The reproducibility of iohexol clearance as a determination of the glomerular filtration rate was assessed in 12 healthy subjects during triplicate constant-rate infusions. Renal and plasma clearance of iohexol demonstrated a total within-subject variation (CV) ranging between 0% and 16%. The inter-individual variation in renal clearance was about 10%, the clearance values being (mean +/- SD) 116 +/- 10, 117 +/- 9 and 110 +/- 12 ml/min 1.73 m2 in the three experiments and corresponding figures for the plasma clearance were 120 +/- 17, 118 +/- 12 and 112 +/- 14 ml/min 1.73 m2. The renal clearance (CLR) and the plasma clearance (CL) showed good correlation (regression equation CL = 11.80 + 0.93 CLR, rs = 0.67). The method is simple and reproducible; thus, it is suitable for both clinical examinations and research.