Sometimes when you go to see a doctor, he may say, "I think there's some protein in my urine." If a routine urine test shows something like that, your doctor will probably order a special test to confirm it. That test is called a "24-hour urine protein test." You might be a little scared to hear the name, but it's a very simple, at-home test. We'll talk about it all today.
What is this 24-hour urine protein test?
Simply put, this involves collecting the total amount of urine that comes out of your body over a 24-hour period and measuring how much protein is in that urine.
Think of our kidneys as two of the most advanced filters. These filters clean our blood, reabsorb the things the body needs (like protein), and excrete the unwanted waste products as urine. Normally, urine contains a certain amount of water, potassium, sodium, urea, and creatinine. That's normal.
However, if there is a problem or damage to the kidney filter, the proteins needed by the body will start to be filtered through this filter and excreted in the urine. The main type of protein that is excreted in the urine is called albumin . When the amount of albumin in the urine increases, we medically call it albuminuria .
Why would a doctor recommend this test?
This test is mainly done to see if your kidneys are working properly. In the early stages of kidney disease, there may be no symptoms. However, protein in the urine may be one of the first signs. That's why this test is very important.
If you have or suspect any of the following medical conditions, your doctor may order this test.
| Condition/Cause | A short description |
|---|---|
| Diabetes | Over time, diabetes can damage the delicate blood vessels in the kidneys, causing protein to appear in the urine. |
| High Blood Pressure | High blood pressure is also a major cause of kidney damage. |
| Kidney Disease | This test is used to diagnose kidney disease and to monitor the condition of someone who already has the disease. |
| Preeclampsia during pregnancy | A serious condition related to high blood pressure that can occur in pregnant women. One of its main symptoms is the passage of protein in the urine. |
| Other reasons | If you have risk factors such as heart disease, diseases like lupus, or a family history of kidney disease. |
Why is this test important during pregnancy?
During pregnancy, we are particularly concerned about a condition called preeclampsia . This is a serious condition that can affect both mother and baby. In this, blood pressure becomes very high.
If you're pregnant, you probably remember that your maternity clinic regularly tests your urine. They use a small dipstick to quickly check for protein. If that test shows that your protein levels are high, your doctor will order this 24-hour test to confirm it.
If you have other symptoms of preeclampsia, you may be asked to do this test.
- Swelling of the face, hands, and legs
- Headache
- Pain under the ribs
- Vision changes (such as blurred vision)
- Difficulty breathing
- Sudden weight gain
How to accurately perform this test at home?
Don't worry, this is very simple and easy. The hospital or lab will give you some special containers and a special pan that you can attach to the toilet. This is how you should collect your urine:
1. Skip the first one: When you start your day, don't collect your first urine in the morning. Just empty it into the toilet as normal. But write down the exact time somewhere . This is very important. Let's say you peed at 7 am, write down that time.
2. Start collecting now: Then throughout the day, until 7am the next morning, every time you urinate, urinate into the provided pen and carefully pour it into the provided bottle.
3. Keep it safe: Label each bottle with your name and the time you urinated. Place these bottles in a bag and store them in the fridge .
4. Collect the last one: Try to collect the last urine sample exactly 24 hours later, at the same time you started (in our example, at 7 am the next day).
5. Submit to the lab: Now, go to the lab as soon as possible and submit all of the collected urine samples.
The most important thing is to collect every urine sample within a 24-hour period. Missing any of them can lead to inaccurate results.
What does the report say?
Normally, the amount of protein excreted in an adult's urine per day should be less than 150 milligrams (mg) . If your result is much higher than 150 mg, your doctor will order further tests to find the cause.
However, a high result does not necessarily mean that you have a serious illness. Sometimes false positives can occur. This means that the result is high for some other reason, even though there is no real problem.
| Things that can affect the results | |
|---|---|
| Reasons why a false positive may occur | |
| A urinary tract infection (UTI) | Blood in the urine |
| Dehydration | Recent strenuous exercise |
| Fever | Severe Stress |
| Other things that can affect the results | |
| Vitamin C supplements | Some antibiotics |
| Medications for Parkinson's disease | Warming of collected urine samples |
What happens after the test?
Depending on the results of this test and your symptoms, your doctor will decide what to do next. You may be asked to do some more tests. For example:
- Blood tests that measure certain things in the blood
- Kidney Ultrasound
- Other specialized urine tests
All of this is decided by your doctor. He will examine your condition and tell you what is necessary. So don't worry about the results and worry alone. Always talk to your doctor about the results.
Take-Home Message
- The 24-hour urine protein test is a simple, non-invasive test that provides a lot of important information about the health of your kidneys.
- To obtain accurate results, it is essential to follow the instructions for collecting urine exactly. Do not skip a single sample.
- Don't assume that you have a serious illness just because your protein levels in your urine are high. It can also be caused by other temporary conditions.
- Talk openly with your doctor about your test results and any symptoms you are experiencing (such as swelling, blood in your urine).
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