Question: What is (are) Proteinuria ?
Answer: Proteinuriaalso called albuminuria or urine albuminis a condition in which urine contains an abnormal amount of protein. Albumin is the main protein in the blood. Proteins are the building blocks for all body parts, including muscles, bones, hair, and nails. Proteins in the blood also perform a number of important functions. They protect the body from infection, help blood clot, and keep the right amount of fluid circulating throughout the body. As blood passes through healthy kidneys, they filter out the waste products and leave in the things the body needs, like albumin and other proteins. Most proteins are too big to pass through the kidneys' filters into the urine. However, proteins from the blood can leak into the urine when the filters of the kidney, called glomeruli, are damaged. Proteinuria is a sign of chronic kidney disease (CKD), which can result from diabetes, high blood pressure, and diseases that cause inflammation in the kidneys. For this reason, testing for albumin in the urine is part of a routine medical assessment for everyone. Kidney disease is sometimes called renal disease. If CKD progresses, it can lead to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), when the kidneys fail completely. A person with ESRD must receive a kidney transplant or regular blood-cleansing treatments called dialysis.
Source: NIDDK

Question: What are the symptoms of Proteinuria ?
Answer: Proteinuria has no signs or symptoms in the early stages. Large amounts of protein in the urine may cause it to look foamy in the toilet. Also, because protein has left the body, the blood can no longer soak up enough fluid, so swelling in the hands, feet, abdomen, or face may occur. This swelling is called edema. These are signs of large protein loss and indicate that kidney disease has progressed. Laboratory testing is the only way to find out whether protein is in a persons urine before extensive kidney damage occurs. Several health organizations recommend regular urine checks for people at risk for CKD. A 1996 study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health determined that proteinuria is the best predictor of progressive kidney failure in people with type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association recommends regular urine testing for proteinuria for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The National Kidney Foundation recommends that routine checkups include testing for excess protein in the urine, especially for people in high-risk groups.
Source: NIDDK

Question: How to diagnose Proteinuria ?
Answer: Until recently, an accurate protein measurement required a 24-hour urine collection. In a 24-hour collection, the patient urinates into a container, which is kept refrigerated between trips to the bathroom. The patient is instructed to begin collecting urine after the first trip to the bathroom in the morning. Every drop of urine for the rest of the day is to be collected in the container. The next morning, the patient adds the first urination after waking and the collection is complete. In recent years, researchers have found that a single urine sample can provide the needed information. In the newer technique, the amount of albumin in the urine sample is compared with the amount of creatinine, a waste product of normal muscle breakdown. The measurement is called a urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR). A urine sample containing more than 30 milligrams of albumin for each gram of creatinine (30 mg/g) is a warning that there may be a problem. If the laboratory test exceeds 30 mg/g, another UACR test should be done 1 to 2 weeks later. If the second test also shows high levels of protein, the person has persistent proteinuria, a sign of declining kidney function, and should have additional tests to evaluate kidney function.
Source: NIDDK

Question: How to diagnose Proteinuria ?
Answer: Tests that measure the amount of creatinine in the blood will show whether a persons kidneys are removing wastes efficiently. Having too much creatinine in the blood is a sign that a person has kidney damage. The doctor can use the creatinine measurement to estimate how efficiently the kidneys are filtering the blood. This calculation is called the estimated glomerular filtration rate, or eGFR. CKD is present when the eGFR is less than 60 milliliters per minute (mL/min).
Source: NIDDK

Question: What to do for Proteinuria ?
Answer: - Proteinuria is a condition in which urine contains a detectable amount of protein. - Proteinuria is a sign of chronic kidney disease (CKD). - Groups at risk for proteinuria include African Americans, American Indians, Hispanics/Latinos, Pacific Islander Americans, older people, overweight people, people with diabetes or hypertension, and people who have a family history of kidney disease. - Proteinuria may have no signs or symptoms. Laboratory testing is the only way to find out whether protein is in a person's urine. - Several health organizations recommend regular checks for proteinuria so kidney disease can be detected and treated before it progresses. - A person with diabetes, hypertension, or both should work to control blood glucose and blood pressure.
Source: NIDDK