RPF is calculated by the clearance of para-aminohippuric acid (PAH), as this compound is completely cleared from the plasma by renal tubular filtration and secretion in a single pass; In simple words, 100% of all PAH that enters the kidney is excreted. Thus the clearance of this compound can give a measure of effective renal plasma flow.
Renal plasma flow is estimated from the effective renal plasma flow (eRPF), which is the amount of plasma cleared of p-aminohippuric acid (PAH) per unit time.
Formula: eRPF = UxV/P
U-Urine concentration of PAH (mg/mL)
V-Urine flow rate (mL/min)
P-Plasma concentration of PAH (mg/mL).
Determining the RPF can allow us to determine the renal blood flow (RBF).
Formula:
RBF = RPF / (1 - hematocrit)
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