Question:

I am diabetic. I just received some lab results back. Please explain to me what are microalb/creat ratio and random UR? UR was 7.5 and microalb/creat ratio is 29.1. I am a 47 year old female.

Answer:

People with poorly controlled diabetes can develop diabetes-related kidney disease. It is important for people with diabetes to be tested regularly for kidney disease. If diabetes-related kidney disease is identified early, then appropriate treatment can help prevent further disease.

People with newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes should have a screening test for diabetes-related kidney disease performed soon after diagnosis, and then once a year. People with newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetes should have a screening test performed five years after diagnosis, and then once a year. One screening test for diabetes-related kidney disease is the albumin-to-creatinine ratio.

Albumin and creatinine are found normally in the urine. The proportion of albumin increases in diabetes related kidney disease. Therefore an elevated “albumin-to-creatinine ratio” can indicate diabetes-related kidney disease. This test can be performed as a random test (urine obtained any time of day), as a first-morning test (urine obtained first thing in the morning), or as a timed test (urine obtained during a 24 hour collection or a timed overnight collection).

The American Diabetes Association recommendations for interpreting a random “albumin-to-creatinine ratio” follows:

• Normal – <30 micrograms per milligram creatinine
• Microalbuminuria – 30-299 micrograms per milligram creatinine
• Clinical albuminuria – greater or equal to 300 micrograms per milligram

Microalbuminuria and clinical albuminuria can indicate diabetes-related kidney disease. But many factors can influence these test results, and the interpretation of these tests. For example, people with diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure) have a higher risk of kidney disease.

Your diabetes care provider is the best person to interpret your test results. Contact your diabetes care provider to discuss your test results and treatment plan.

For more information:

Go to the Diabetes health topic.