Microalbumin Screen, Semi-Quantitative

Microalbumin Screen, Semi-Quantitative

Alternate Test Name

Microalbumin Creatinine Ratio

Urine Albumin

Epic Mnemonic
Sunquest Mnemonic

LAB689
UMALB

Category

Chemistry

Methodology

Immunoturbidimetric assay

Test Performance Schedule

Sunday - Saturday

Result Availability

Within 24 hours

Container

Yellow or Clear top (no preservative) urine tube

Volume

Pref. Vol.: 10 mL urine
Min. Vol.: 5.0 mL urine

Collection Instructions

Random urine

Clean Catch Urine Collection Instructions

Transportation Instructions

Refrigerate

Stability

• Room Temperature: 5 days
• Refrigerated: 5 days

Causes for Rejection

Contaminated with blood

CPT Codes

82043

Effective/Revised

03/28/2017

Albumin is a protein synthesized in the liver. Quantitatively, albumin is normally the most important protein component in plasma, CSF and urine.

A small, but abnormal albumin excretion in urine is known as microalbuminuria. Microalbuminuria refers to an albumin concentration in the urine which is greater than normal, but usually not detectable with routine protein dipstick assays which permit measurement of albumin at levels of 15 mg/dL or greater. There are multiple renal disease etiologies in which laboratory findings include proteinuria. Albumin is the prominent protein in most renal diseases. Monitoring low concentrations of albumin in the urine is helpful for early detection in patients at risk for renal disease.

Those at risk for renal disease in which albuminuria may be present include, but are not limited to, patients with Type I and Type II diabetes, hypertension, and renal disease in pregnancy. Of all patients beginning therapy for end-stage renal disease in the United States, diabetic nephropathy is the major cause of renal failure in twenty-five percent. Recent studies of the natural history of patients with long standing diabetes showed that microalbuminuria preceded clinical diabetic nephropathy. Further studies indicate that normalization of blood glucose and blood pressure can prolong the progression from microalbuminuria to clinical nephropathy.