From the Guidelines
A urine albumin test checks for the presence of albumin, a protein that should normally stay in your bloodstream, in your urine, primarily detecting early signs of kidney damage by measuring small amounts of albumin that leak into urine when kidneys aren't functioning properly. This test is crucial for monitoring people with diabetes, high blood pressure, or other conditions that increase the risk of kidney disease. The test can detect microalbuminuria (small amounts of albumin) before symptoms of kidney disease appear, allowing for earlier intervention 1. When kidneys are healthy, they filter waste from blood while keeping essential proteins like albumin in the bloodstream. Damage to the kidney's filtering system allows albumin to pass into urine, which serves as an early warning sign of kidney problems.
Key Points About Urine Albumin Testing
- The test is simple, requiring only a urine sample, and results are typically reported as either the albumin level or the albumin-to-creatinine ratio for more accurate assessment 1.
- Regular testing is recommended for at-risk individuals to catch kidney disease in its earliest, most treatable stages.
- Semiquantitative uACR dipsticks can be used to detect early kidney disease and assess cardiovascular risk when quantitative tests are not available, with the recommendation that they should be positive in >85% of individuals with moderately increased albuminuria to be useful for patient screening 1.
- It's essential to distinguish semiquantitative uACR dipsticks from proteinuria dipsticks, as chemical strip methods for total protein are not sensitive when the urine albumin concentration is low, thus requiring specific measurement of albumin at low concentrations and expression of results as an albumin-to-creatinine ratio 1.
Recommendations for Testing
- Annual testing for albuminuria should begin in pubertal or post-pubertal individuals 5 years after diagnosis of type 1 diabetes and at the time of diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, regardless of treatment 1.
- Urine albumin should be measured annually in adults with diabetes using morning spot urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) 1.
- If estimated glomerular filtration rate is <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and/or albuminuria is >30 mg/g creatinine in a spot urine sample, the uACR should be repeated every 6 months to assess change among people with diabetes and hypertension 1.
From the Research
Urine Albumin Check
A urine albumin check tests for the presence of albumin in the urine, which can be an indicator of kidney damage or disease.
- Albumin is a protein that is normally found in the blood, but when the kidneys are damaged, it can leak into the urine 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- The test can detect microalbuminuria, which is a small amount of albumin in the urine, and is an early sign of kidney damage 2, 6.
- The presence of albumin in the urine can be an indicator of various conditions, including:
- Diabetic nephropathy, a complication of diabetes that can lead to kidney failure 2, 3, 4, 5.
- Cardiovascular disease, as albuminuria is a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality 2, 3.
- Kidney disease, as albuminuria is a marker of kidney damage and can be used to monitor the progression of the disease 3, 4, 5.
How the Test is Performed
The test is typically performed on a spot urine sample, and the albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) is measured 2, 4, 6.
- The ACR is a sensitive and early indicator of kidney damage, and can be used to accurately assess the stage of kidney disease 4.
- The test can also be used to monitor the effectiveness of treatment and to detect any changes in kidney function over time 2, 3, 4.
Importance of the Test
The urine albumin check is an important test for individuals with diabetes, hypertension, or a family history of kidney disease 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.