Hi, thank you for your question. Kidney disease can be diagnosed through 2 tests: urine test for protein, and a blood test to estimate glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (measures how well the kidneys function).

Early stage kidney disease can be silent and cause no symptoms. Chronic kidney disease can be categorised into 5 stages. In stage 1, eGFR is 90 or above (normal), but you may have slight kidney damage and protein in urine. In stage 2, level of kidney damage is similar to that of stage 1 except that eGFR is 60-89.

In stage 3, eGFR is 30-59 and the kidneys are moderately damaged. This can be further divided into stage 3a (eGFR of 45-59) and 3b (eGFR of 30-44). In stage 4, eGFR is 15-29 and the kidneys are moderately or severely damaged. Stage 5 is also known as end stage renal disease (ESRD). eGFR falls below 15 and kidneys have little or no function left.

In adults aged 20-29, the normal average eGFR should be around 116. Having a GFR of 88 at your age is not normal and you may have stage 2 kidney disease. Following an abnormal GFR level, your doctor may order some tests such as urine test, ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) scan of the kidneys and urinary system, and a biopsy. Also, a cholesterol level >5.2mmol/L is high and you should try to manage it by making healthier lifestyle choices.

If you have early stage kidney disease, you should keep blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar levels under control, eat a healthy low-protein diet, exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, quit smoking, and take medications such as diuretics, iron, erythropoietin, calcium or vitamin D supplement if needed.

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