How Is Urine Tested Forprotein
The doctor will request you to provide a midstreamurine sample that is stored in a sterile plastic cup.
A testing stick with a specially treated chemicalstrip is placed in the urine sample. The strip will change color depending onthe presence of protein in the urine. It also reveals the amount of proteinpresent, ranging from low or trace amounts to high levels.
In case the test shows a low trace of proteinwhile pregnant, it is considered normal and nothing to be worried about. It isimportant to note that the output can be affected by the intake of fluid anddiet. Furthermore, it might also fluctuate during the day.
Protein In Urine Symptoms
Most people who have proteinuria wonât notice any signs, especially in early or mild cases. Over time, as it gets worse, you might have symptoms including:
- Foamy or bubbly pee
- A family history of kidney disease
- African American, Native American, Hispanic, or Pacific Islander descent
Some people get more protein into their urine while standing than while lying down. This condition is called orthostatic proteinuria.
How Often Do I Need To Have A Test For Albuminuria
People who are at increased risk for kidney disease should have this test as part of routine checkups by a healthcare provider. Those at increased risk include:
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People with diabetes
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People with high blood pressure
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People with a family history of kidney failure
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People who are 65 years or older
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Certain ethnic groups including African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, American Indians
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Can I Get Nephrotic Syndrome Even After I Have A Transplant
Yes, you can get nephrotic syndrome even after your transplant. Remember, nephrotic syndrome is not a single disease. It is caused by different diseases that affect your kidneys. If you get a kidney transplant but do not treat the disease that is affecting your kidneys, the disease may continue to harm your new kidney.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
If you find out you have nephrotic syndrome, talk with your doctor about the cause of your symptoms and what treatment is best for you. Here are some questions you may want to ask:
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Screening For Kidney Disease
Although urine protein measurement can be used to assist in the diagnosis of kidney disease and to assess disease progression and response to therapy , it is most commonly used as a screening test. Microalbuminuria is defined as urine albumin excretion of 30 to 300 mg/day and appears to be an important risk factor for end-organ damage in patients with diabetes or hypertension. Most studies showing a relationship between microalbuminuria and end-organ damage have used 24-hour quantitative techniques to measure urine albumin excretion. As previously discussed, this is cumbersome and prone to error, and an albumin/creatinine ratio in an untimed spot urine specimen can be used instead. Indeed, albumin/creatinine ratios have been shown to predict the subsequent development of overt kidney disease. A value above 30 mg/g suggests that albumin excretion is above 30 mg/day, consistent with microalbuminuria.
Sharon I. Maynard, Ravi E. Thadhani, in, 2015
Talk To Your Doctor About Medicine
There are many safe and effective medicines to help when you are struggling with mental health issues. Medicines help manage your symptoms. There are many medicines available, but the most common are:
- Antidepressants: treat depression, but can also treat anxiety and other conditions
- Anti-anxiety: treat anxiety disorders
A mental health provider will work with you to figure out which medicine is best. Some medicines may interact with your treatment for kidney disease. It is important to work closely with your mental health provider and kidney doctor to make sure you are on the best medicine to treat your condition.
“Persevere, don’t give up, and seek help. If the first person you go to doesn’t give you the help you need, look for someone elsedon’t stop until you feel you get the help that you need.”
-Person living with kidney disease
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Trace Of Protein In Urine What Does It Mean
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Can Kidney Disease Cause Diabetes
Recent research has found that kidney disease may cause high blood sugar and diabetes. When you have kidney disease, your kidneys cannot filter waste products from your blood as well as they should. This can cause diabetes because high blood levels of the waste product urea can prevent your pancreas from making insulin the way it should. Urea is a waste product that your body makes after it breaks down protein.
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Protein & Blood In Your Urine
The kidneys are important organs that remove excess fluid and toxic waste products from the body. They do so by filtering the blood and excreting noxious chemicals and molecules into the urine. Under normal circumstances, protein and blood are not found in the urine, as the kidneys retain them within their blood vessels. If you find protein and blood in your urine, it could be a sign of kidney disease.
Risks Of Protein In Urine While Pregnant
The risks of protein in urine during pregnancy depend on what is causing the elevated levels. Some of the causes are less serious than others, or easier to treat and resolve.
Most of the causes of protein in urine in early pregnancy do not have serious risks. If protein is found in your urine before 20 weeks, it is less likely to be a concerning symptom, says Maggie Bolton, CNM, ARNP, clinical director of Quilted Health. However, it should still be evaluated.
Increased protein in urine after 20 weeks is where there may be serious risks to you or your baby, especially if coupled with elevated blood pressure, and symptoms like blurred vision, swelling, and shortness of breath. In this case, you may have preeclampsia, and you will need to be monitored and treated.
Preeclampsia is a progressive disorder which can affect many body systems, Bolton describes. It is caused by the placenta and the pregnant persons vascular system and in most cases, it resolves quickly after the birth. Your provider will want to monitor you very closely, and may even recommend induction depending on the severity of the condition.
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How Is Pediatric Proteinuria Diagnosed
If you or your childs pediatrician suspect that your child has proteinuria, a condition in which protein leaks from the blood into the urine, the doctor will recommend a urine test.
In the past, a 24-hour urine collection was required to diagnose proteinuria. The patient would collect urine in a single container from the first visit to the bathroom in the morning through the first visit on the next day. This test may still be used, but most of the time, a simple urine test can be done in a doctors office to test how much protein is in your childs urine. A chemically-treated paper dipped into the urine sample will change color if protein levels are high.
If your child has no symptoms and a urine sample collected first thing in the morning indicates no protein or only trace amounts, the doctor may suggest that your child be tested again in a year. If protein is discovered in the urine, another first morning sample should be tested and also examined under a microscope, and further urinalysis the physical, chemical, and microscopic testing of a sample of urinewill be necessary. If the urine tests reveal excess protein and urinalysis results are abnormal, your child may need further evaluation because if the proteinuria persists, it can mean that your childs kidney function is declining.
What Are The Causes
- Diseases of the glomeruli , for example glomerulonephritis or diabetes.
- Urine infection can cause proteinuria, but usually there are other signs of this such as a urinary tract infections.
- Proteinuria can be a symptom of some other conditions and diseases: for example: congestive heart failure, a first warning of eclampsia in pregnancy.
- Sometimes a positive dipstick for protein isnt abnormal, for example concentrated samples first thing in the morning, or if you have become dehydrated or havent drunk much.
- Temporary proteinuria may occur after vigorous exercise or if you have a high fever.
- Sometimes, almost always in children, proteinuria can be detected later in the day, but not in the morning. This is known as orthostatic proteinuria and it is usually harmless.
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What Is Pediatric Proteinuria
Proteinuria is an excess if protein in your child’s urine. If your child has proteinuria, its often not serious. But sometimes, it can indicate a more serious problem with the kidneys. You should watch for any signs that your childs fluids seem out of balance and check with a doctor.
If proteinuria indicates a kidney disease, your doctor will refer your child to a nephrologist, a doctor who specializes in treating kidney diseases.
What Else Causes Protein In Urine
Proteinuria causes are linked to other conditions. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the two leading causes of chronic kidney disease , and kidney damage from those two conditions can result in proteinuria. Lupus, arthritis and other immune system disorders can also cause proteinuria. Protein in the urine can even be a warning sign of pre-eclampsia during pregnancy.
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When To See A Healthcare Provider
It can be difficult to know when it’s time to see a healthcare provider about proteinuria because the symptoms are often so vague . Even if you have foamy urine, you might figure that it was “something you ate” if you are otherwise feeling healthy.
And, that can be a problem. Because not only is proteinuria an indication that you may have kidney disease, it is often a sign that kidney disease is advancing and becoming more serious.
To this end, you need to seek immediate medical care if you experience the following:
- Gradually diminishing urine output
- Swelling of the legs, ankles, or feet
- Extreme tiredness or weakness
- Irregular heartbeat
These are common signs of kidney failure, a condition in which the kidney function has dropped so severely that you may require hospitalization to avoid illness or death.
This is especially true if the symptoms develop over the span of several hours or days. Without treatment, kidney failure is associated with a high risk of death.
Advice From Patients And Professionals
Elle Lee, LCSW began her career as a licensed therapist after experiencing kidney failure from IgA Nephropathy in 2009. While on peritoneal dialysis, she experienced worries, stress, and emotional struggles that are common among people with kidney failure, which motivated her to become a therapist to help people cope better.
Elle joins AKF to share tips on how people living with kidney disease can better safeguard their mental health.
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Is A Low Protein Diet The Answer
Even though it makes intuitive sense, and even though excess protein in the urine is directly associated with hyperfiltration, at this time the effect of protein restriction on renal function is uncertain. For now, suffice it to say that a moderate protein diet with about 0.8 grams per kilo body weight of protein per day, might be beneficial but going on a low protein diet may not be of benefit.
What Happens When Kidney Disease Or Another Condition Is Suspected
If your healthcare provider suspects you have kidney disease, youll repeat a urine test three times over three months. If your urine samples test positive for the presence of proteins each time, you likely have a chronic disease. The earlier the diagnosis, the greater the chance your healthcare providers can slow kidney disease and stop it from progressing.
Additional tests may include:
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Why Is Wbc Found In Urine
leukocytesWBCsLeukocytesfoundurinalysisurineLeukocytesurineHere are some natural home remedies that can aid in treating proteinuria:
Abnormally High Level Of Protein In The Urine Could Indicate Kidney Disease
Proteinuria could indicate CKD. Where does protein in the urine come from? The protein is there in the blood. It exists as different types . Your muscles are primarily made of protein. The antibodies that circulate in your system fighting infection are protein. Hence protein is essential, but you normally shouldn’t be peeing it out into the urine.
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How Do You Prepare For The Test
Its important that your doctor knows all the medications youre currently taking, including over-the-counter and prescription medications. Certain medications can affect the level of protein in your urine, so your doctor may ask you to stop taking a medication or to change your dose before the test.
Medications that affect protein levels in the urine include:
- antibiotics, such as aminoglycosides, cephalosporins, and penicillins
- antifungal medications, such as amphotericin-B and griseofulvin
- lithium
- penicillamine , a medication used to treat rheumatoid arthritis
- salicylates
Its important that youre well-hydrated before giving your urine sample. This makes giving the urine sample easier and prevents dehydration, which can affect test results.
Avoid strenuous exercise before your test, as this can also affect the amount of protein in your urine. You should also wait to take a urine protein test at least three days after taking a radioactive test that used contrast dye. The contrast dye used in the test is secreted in your urine and can affect results.
Treatment Of Trace Protein In Urine
- Medical treatment for proteinuria is not needed, especially if trace levels of protein are found in urine.In most cases, changes in the diet to restrict the intake of salt and protein-rich foods can help resolve the issue.
- Treatment of protein in urine is dependent on the underlying causative condition, as proteinuria is not a condition in itself. Thus, if it is caused due to some kind of kidney problem, then it is treated as per standard medical procedures. For example,
- Kidney infection is treated with antibiotics and lifestyle changes. It is important to treat kidney diseases on time as doing so can help prevent kidney damage or even kidney failure.
- Trace protein in urine which occurs as a symptom of diabetes is treated via drugs that help control the blood sugar levels and the blood pressure. Glucose levels can be managed with medications like water pills or diuretics and/or ACE inhibitors. Adherence to a specific diet, exercising, and lifestyle changes are also recommended by doctors.
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How Is A Urine Test Done
A simple urine test can be done in your doctor’s office. You will be asked to pee into a clean cup called a specimen cup. Only a small amount of your urine is needed to do the test. Some of the urine is tested right away with a dipstick a thin, plastic strip that is placed in the urine. The rest is examined under a microscope.
How Do Doctors Treat Protein In The Urine
Doctors treat the cause of protein in the urine:
- If you have diabetes, your doctor will help create a treatment plan to keep it under control and slow down damage to your kidneys. They may recommend that you:
- Check your blood sugar often
- Take certain medicines
- Follow a diabetes-friendly eating plan
- Be active most days of the week
Drinking water will not treat the cause of protein in your urine unless you are dehydrated. Drinking water will dilute your urine , but will not stop the cause of your kidneys leaking protein.
If you have protein in your urine, talk with your doctor to choose the best treatment option for you.
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Are There Tests To Diagnose The Cause Of Proteinuria
Proteinuria itself can be diagnosed with a simple dipstick test. This involves dipping a specially treated paper strip into a sample of urine. Results are returned within one to two minutes.
To measure the exact amount of protein excreted in the urine, your healthcare provider may recommend a 24-hour urine collection test. By evaluating the composition of urine collected over 24 hours , the lab can calculate how much protein is passed each day.