also known as Microalbumin/Creatinine in 24 hour Urine by Detection limit <= 1.0 mg/L
An early indicator of kidney failure. It measures the tiny amounts of albumin that the body begins to release into the urine several years before significant kidney damage becomes apparent. Albumin is a protein that is produced in the liver. It is present in high concentrations in the blood, but when the kidneys are functioning properly, virtually no albumin is allowed to leak through into the urine. If a person’s kidneys become damaged or diseased, however, they begin to lose their ability to filter proteins out of the urine. This is frequently seen in chronic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, with increasing amounts of protein in the urine reflecting increasing kidney failure. Alternate Name: Microalbumin