- protein in urine
Who is a candidate for the test?
- kidney problems with high blood pressure
- any kidney disease
- multiple myeloma, a tumor in the blood and bone marrow
Pregnant women are routinely tested for protein in the urine during prenatal visits to the healthcare provider. Protein in the urine during pregnancy may indicate preeclampsia, a serious condition that can cause high blood pressure and seizures in the mother. For insurance or other physicals like when starting a new job
How is the test performed?
- a urinalysis by a stick put into the urine sample,
- a random urine specimen that looks for minute amounts of protein (called "micro"albumin testing),
- a random urine specimen that looks for large amount of protein in the urine ("macro"albumin), and
- by 24 hour urine collections.
- start urinating in the toilet
- catch a sample of urine in the container
- finish urinating in the toilet
- Day 1: The patient urinates upon arising as usual and discards that urine For example, at 7 a.m. on Monday). Then, the person collects all urine produced for the next 24 hours in a special container.
- Day 2: First thing the follwing morning (for example 7 a.m. Tuesday morning), the person collects the morning urine again in the container. Then the person covers the container and refrigerates it until it can be taken to the healthcare provider or assigned laboratory.
What is involved in preparation for the test?
What do the test results mean?
- kidney disease
- kidney injury from any cause including high blood pressure
- early kidney or blood vessel injury in diabetes ("micro"albumin)
- preeclampsia of pregnancy
Tabers Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, F.A.Davis, 1993
Illustrated Guide to Diagnostic Tests, Springhouse, 1998
Mosby's Manual of Diagnostic and Laboratory Tests, Kathleen Pagana and Timothy Pagana, 1998