Albuminuria

Albuminuria
Classification and external resources
Specialty
ICD-10	R80
ICD-9-CM	791.0
Patient UK	Albuminuria
MeSH	D000419

Albuminuria is a pathological condition wherein the protein albumin is present in the urine. It is a type of proteinuria.

Symptoms

Heavy whitish foam in urine. Swelling of the ankles, hands, belly or the face may occur.

Measurement

The amount of protein being lost in the urine can be quantified by collecting the urine for 24 hours, measuring a sample of the pooled urine, and extrapolating to the volume collected.

Also a urine dipstick test for proteinuria can give a rough estimate of albuminuria. This is because albumin is by far the dominant plasma protein, and bromphenol blue the agent used in the dipstick is specific to albumin.

Causes

The kidneys normally do not filter large molecules into the urine, so albuminuria can be an indicator of damage to the kidneys or excessive salt intake. It can also occur in patients with long-standing diabetes, especially type 1 diabetes.

Causes of albuminuria can be discriminated between by the amount of protein excreted.

• The nephrotic syndrome usually results in the excretion of about 3.0 to 3.5 grams per 24 hours.
• Nephritic syndrome results in far less albuminuria.
• Microalbuminuria (between 30 and 300 mg/24h, mg/l of urine or µg/mg of creatinine) can be a forerunner of diabetic nephropathy.

Treatment

Though there is some evidence that dietary interventions (to lower red meat intake) can be helpful in lowering albuminuria levels, there is currently no evidence that low protein interventions correlate to improvement in kidney function.