My watch list
my.bionity.com  
Login  

Proteinuria



Name of Symptom/Sign:
Proteinuria
Classifications and external resources
ICD-10 R80.
ICD-9 791.0
DiseasesDB 25320
eMedicine med/94 
MeSH D011507

Proteinuria (from protein and urine) means the presence of an excess of serum proteins in the urine.[1] The protein in the urine often causes the urine to become foamy, although foamy urine may also be caused by bilirubin in the urine (bilirubinuria),[2] retrograde ejaculation,[3] pneumaturia (air bubbles in the urine) due to a fistula,[4] or drugs such as pyridium.[5]

Contents

Measurement

Proteinuria is often diagnosed by a simple dipstick test although it is possible for the test to give a false negative even with nephrotic range proteinuria if the urine is dilute. False negatives may also occur if the protein in the urine is composed mainly globulins or Bence-Jones Proteins because the reagent on the test strips, Bromphenol blue, is highly specific for albumin. [6][7] Traditionally dipstick protein tests would be quantified by measuring the total quantity of protein in a 24-hour urine collection test, and abnormal globulins by specific requests for Protein electrophoresis.[8][9]

Alternatively the concentration of protein in the urine may be compared to the creatinine level in a spot urine sample. This is termed Protein/Creatinine Ratio (PCR). The 2005 UK Chronic Kidney Disease guidelines states that PCR is a better test than 24 hour urinary protein measurement. Proteinuria is defined as a Protein:creatinine ratio >45 mg/mmol (which is equivalent to Albumin:creatinine ratio of >30 mg/mmol) with very high levels of nephrotic syndrome being for PCR > 100 mg/mmol.[10]

Associated conditions

Proteinuria may be a sign of renal (kidney) damage. Since serum proteins are readily reabsorbed from urine, the presence of excess protein indicates either an insufficiency of absorption or impaired filtration. Diabetics may suffer from damaged nephrons and develop proteinuria.

With severe proteinuria, general hypoproteinemia can develop which results in diminished oncotic pressure. Symptoms of diminished oncotic pressure may include ascites, edema, and hydrothorax.

Conditions with proteinuria as a sign

Proteinuria may be a feature of the following conditions:[7]

Conditions with proteinuria consisting mainly of Bence-Jones proteins as a sign

See also

 
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Proteinuria". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.
Your browser is not current. Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 does not support some functions on Chemie.DE