The majority of tests of renal function are interpreted and their results recorded in terms of
the values obtained for normal persons. Any one of them yields an estimate of the efficiency
of the kidneys at a particular time, but this may be of little prognostic significance, for it is well
known that in acute nephritis, acute infections, ureteral obstruction or cardiac failure renal
function may be severely depressed and yet with recovery of the patient may return to
normal. In chronic renal disease, however, decreasing functional values usually indicate the …