Protein/Creatinine Ratio

A protein/creatinine test is usually performed as part of routine health screening. It is especially recommended to individuals who show symptoms of glomerulonephritis, nephrotic syndrome and other kidney diseases. This test also helps detect medical conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and lupus. 

Certain medications can interfere with the test results, hence, it is imperative that you inform your doctor if you are taking any medications, herbs or supplements.
He/she will specify clearly if you need to stop the intake of those medications a few days prior to the test. Other factors that can alter the test results are as follows:

• Dehydration (lack of fluid)
• Mixing of vaginal fluid with the urine sample
• Emotional stress
• Excessive exercise
• Urinary tract infections

It is a simple test that can be done at the hospital or at home. You will be provided with a container or multiple containers to collect and store urine sample for over 24 hours.

The collection of the samples should begin in the morning. The first urine must not be collected. Thereafter, a sample from every urine must be collected for the next 24 hours.
The container with the sample must be appropriately labelled and stored in a cool environment or refrigerator. The label should contain your name and date and time of sample collection.

For infants, the area around the urethra must be washed thoroughly, and the urine collection bag must be placed appropriately to avoid any spillage of urine. The collected sample should be delivered to the laboratory for analysis immediately after collection.  

As the 24-hour urine test can be cumbersome for many people, including adults, infants and children, a protein/creatinine ratio obtained from urine creatinine and random urine protein tests may be used. However, it is found that results from a random sample are not as accurate as a 24-hour urine test. Therefore, a 24-hour urine sample is always preferred over a random urine test to determine the protein creatinine ratio.

The normal value for this test is less than 100 milligrams per day (mg/d) or less than 10 mg/decilitre of urine.
However these values vary in different laboratories - due to the equipments and test methods used for analysis. Results must be discussed with a doctor for correct interpretation.
Abnormal results indicate the following:

• Amyloidosis (a group of diseases that cause the build-up of a protein called amyloid in the organs and tissues)
• Tumour of the bladder
• Urinary tract infection
• Lupus
• Cancer of the plasma cells (multiple myeloma)
• Heart failure
• High blood pressure during pregnancy
• Kidney diseases attributed to medical conditions, such as diabetes and autoimmune disorders, or toxicity or intake of certain medications

If the abnormal results are due to kidney damage, the test results will also help in determining the extent of kidney damage.
Thereafter, further tests may be conducted to provide a definitive diagnosis and determine the best course of action.

Disclaimer: All results must be clinically correlated with the patient’s complaints to make a complete and accurate diagnosis. The above information is provided from a purely educational point of view and is in no way a substitute for medical advice by a qualified doctor.