Albuminuria

Albuminuria
ICD-10	R 80
ICD-9	791.0
MeSH	D000419

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

1 Symptoms
2 Measurement
3 Causes
4 Treatment
5 References

Symptoms

Heavy whitish foam in urine.

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.

Causes

The kidneys normally do not filter large molecules into the urine, so albuminuria can be an indicator of damage to the kidneys. 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,^[1] mg/l of urine^[2] or µg/mg of creatinine^[3]) can be a forerunner of diabetic nephropathy.

Treatment

There is some evidence that dietary interventions (to lower red meat intake) can be helpful in lowering albuminuria levels.^[4]

References

^ Page 291 in: , ISBN 9781585281800
^ Person—microalbumin level (measured) at Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 01/03/2005
^ [1] Justesen, T.; Petersen, J.; Ekbom, P.; Damm, P.; Mathiesen, E. (2006). "Albumin-to-creatinine ratio in random urine samples might replace 24-h urine collections in screening for micro- and macroalbuminuria in pregnant woman with type 1 diabetes". Diabetes care 29 (4): 924–925. doi:10.2337/diacare.29.04.06.dc06-1555. PMID 16567839. edit
^ de Mello, V. D. F. et al. "Withdrawal of red meat from the usual diet reduces albuminuria and improves serum fatty acid profile in type 2 diabetes patients with macroalbuminuria." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 83.5 (2006): 1032.