nPCR / nPNA (dialysis protein catabolic rate)

Normalized protein catabolic rate (nPCR / nPNA) from the interdialytic BUN rise: a surrogate of dietary protein intake in g/kg/day against the ~1.0-1.2 g/kg/day nutrition target.

Open the calculator → Runs in your browser. Data leaves only if you deliberately send a problem report from the interactive tool.

Example

Post-dialysis BUN
24 mg/dL
Pre-dialysis BUN
70 mg/dL
Interdialytic interval
44 hours

Result: nPCR 1.12 g/kg/day: within the ~1.0-1.2 g/kg/day nutrition target.

The tool opens with these values already filled in. Replace them with your own.

What the result means

Target
nutrition target roughly 1.0-1.2 g/kg/day; below about 0.8 suggests inadequate protein intake.

What you enter

  • Post-dialysis BUN
  • Pre-dialysis BUN (next session)
  • Interdialytic interval
How this is calculated
Formula
nPCR (g/kg/day) = 0.22 + 0.864 x (pre-dialysis BUN - post-dialysis BUN) / interdialytic hours; the two-point anuric urea-kinetic form.

Depner TA, Daugirdas JT. Equations for normalized protein catabolic rate based on two-point modeling of hemodialysis urea kinetics. J Am Soc Nephrol. 1996;7(5):780-785. Read the source ↗

A reference and educational tool. Not medical, legal, or financial advice, and not a substitute for clinician judgment.

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Built by Clay Good. Source on GitHub.