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Reasons for high protien and large amounts…

06/03/2011

Question:

My husband is a 29 year old long time smoker. He has driven a truck for many years now and 2 yrs back went in for his physical. The doctor reported to him that he had high amounts of protein and blood in his urine and that he needed to come back (which he never did). Well he went in about 3 weeks ago to update his physical card and the doctor again told him that he had the protein and blood in his urine and that he would like him to come back (this time I made him go back), so he went back yesterday and they tested again and it`s all still there. His glucose levels look good and so does everything else. The doctor told him this can be a sign of bladder cancer in older men who smoke and my husband said “uh I smoke” so now the doc is sending him to a urology clinic. Everything I look up says that it could be kidney disease. I guess we are just wanting to know what it could possibly be so that when he goes in we can be prepared for the best & worst case scenarios. Here is exactly how is report for urine tests was recorded:

Test Name Result Urine color Straw other urine app Clear urine glucose Neg glucose urine bilirubin Neg bilirubin urine ketones Neg ketones mg urine sp.gravity 1.030 SG other urine blood Large blood other urine pH 5.5 other urine protein 300mg/dl protein urine uribilinogen 0.2mg/dl urine nitrate nitrate neg other urine leukocytes neg leukocytes urine epithelial cel other urine wbc other urine rbc other urine bacteria other urine yeast other urine trich other

**Also my husband so no pain or burning during urination, no noticed side or abdomenal type pain, he urinates frequently, and when he has to go he has to go!!! so as far as he knows no symptoms for a UTI or bladder infection.

Answer:

Your husband’s symptoms and lab results definitely suggest that he has something wrong with his kidney, not his bladder.  When you say, “His glucose levels look good and so does everything else,” I’m wondering if you are referring to blood tests.  If he has not had blood tests to check his level of kidney function, those should be done right away, in order to see whether his kidneys are getting rid of waste products normally. This is a very good way to determine his level of kidney function. 

At this point it sounds like he should also see a nephrologist (medical kidney doctor), who will do a thorough history, physical exam, order a number of blood and urine tests, and obtain a kidney imaging study such as an ultrasound.  After those results are back, he may need a kidney biopsy to make the actual diagnosis and to determine what treatment might be needed.

See the article below, “Kidney Tests,” for more details on the type of tests that are done to detect kidney disease.

Also, be aware that people who have kidney disease often have the symptom of frequent urination, even if they do not have an infection.

Related Resources:

Kidney Tests

For more information:

Go to the Kidney Diseases health topic.