The test is meant to evaluate and monitor kidney function.

Clinical significance

Diabetic nephropathy is a complication of diabetes and is characterized by proteinuria, also called albuminuria, which is elevated protein in the urine. Before proteinuria develops, albumin excretion increases in those diabetic patients who are destined to develop diabetic nephropathy. There is a need to identify small, but abnormal, increases in the excretion of urinary albumin (in the range of 30-300 mg/day, ie, microalbuminuria). The National Kidney Foundation guidelines for the management of patients with diabetes and microalbuminuria recommend that all type 1 diabetic patients older than 12 years and all type 2 diabetic patients younger than 70 years have their urine tested for microalbuminuria yearly when they are under stable glucose control.