Random Urine (10 mls)
mg/mmol creatinine
In Diabetes Mellitus:
Without Diabetes Mellitus:
Microalbumin is a test currently used only in diabetics where it is a marker for early nephropathy at a stage where it is reversible with good control of hypertension and hyperglycaemia. In Type 2 diabetes, it is a powerful risk marker for vascular disease.
The term microalbumin refers to ordinary albumin (not a tiny albumin) found in urine at concentrations below 300 mg/L, the cut-off point for conventional urine dipsticks. Concentrations above this are called macroalbuminuria/persistent proteinuria/clinical proteinuria and indicate irreversible nephropathy.
Because biological variance of urine microalbumin is high (± 50%) and because transient increases in microalbumin can be due to urinary tract infection, exercise, intercurrent illness etc, a first abnormal result should be followed by others over a 2-12 month period and include an MSU looking for UTI. The possibility of non- diabetic nephropathy also needs to be considered.
If the microalbumin concentration is greater than 400 mg/L, the laboratory auto-reflexes a protein/creatinine ratio.
1 day
Local test
Can be added on to an existing request up to 4 days following sample receipt
Specimen Labelling Procedure
8210
