Understanding Your Urine Microalbumin/Creatinine Ratio Result
Your "unable to calculate" result most likely indicates that your urine albumin level was below the detectable range of the laboratory test, which is actually excellent news—it means you have no detectable protein in your urine and your kidneys are functioning normally. 1
What "Unable to Calculate" Means
When a laboratory reports "unable to calculate due to parameters outside the Clinical Reportable Range," this typically occurs when:
- The albumin level is too low to measure accurately (below the lower detection limit, usually <2-3 mg/L), making it impossible to calculate a ratio 1
- Less commonly, creatinine could be outside range, but your serum creatinine of 0.80 mg/dL is completely normal, so this is not the issue 1
Your Kidney Function is Normal
Your test results confirm healthy kidney function:
- eGFR of 78 mL/min/1.73m² indicates Stage 2 kidney function (normal or mildly decreased), which is appropriate for age and requires no intervention 1, 2
- Serum creatinine 0.80 mg/dL is well within normal range 1
- Serum albumin 4.5 g/dL is normal and indicates good nutritional status 1
- A1c 5.2% confirms you do not have diabetes mellitus, eliminating the most common cause of kidney damage 1
Understanding Albumin Testing Ranges
Normal kidney function is defined as:
- Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio <30 mg/g (normal to mildly increased, category A1) 1, 2
- Microalbuminuria: 30-299 mg/g (moderately increased, category A2) 1, 2, 3
- Macroalbuminuria: ≥300 mg/g (severely increased, category A3) 1, 2, 3
Your result being undetectable places you well below 30 mg/g, in the optimal range 1, 2.
Clinical Significance
With no diabetes, normal kidney function (eGFR 78), and undetectable urine albumin, you have no evidence of kidney disease. 1 The combination of normal A1c and absent albuminuria essentially rules out diabetic kidney disease, which accounts for the majority of chronic kidney disease cases 1, 4.
No Action Required
- No treatment is needed for your kidney function 1
- No dietary protein restriction is necessary 5
- Routine follow-up with your primary care physician is sufficient; nephrology referral is not indicated 1, 6
- Annual screening for microalbuminuria is not necessary since you don't have diabetes 1
Common Pitfall to Avoid
Do not misinterpret "unable to calculate" as indicating a problem—laboratories must report when values fall outside their measurement range, which includes values that are too low (too good) to measure accurately 1. This is distinctly different from elevated or abnormal results that would indicate kidney damage 2, 3.