Urine protein dipstick test

Urine Protein Dipstick Test

A urine protein dipstick test is a simple and quick way to check for abnormally high levels of protein in your urine. This procedure examines how much albumin (a type of protein) is present in your sample. The presence of certain proteins can indicate various disease states including kidney and cardiovascular diseases.

Preparation

• No preparation is needed for a urine protein dipstick test.
• You may need to provide a clean catch urine sample. This means avoiding touching the outside of the opening to your urethra.
• You may also need to avoid strenuous exercise, medications, and diet and lifestyle changes for a few days before the test.

Procedure

• The nurse or technician will provide you with a specimen cup for collecting your urine sample.
• You should collect a sample of your urine midstream, which helps to avoid contamination.
• The sample should then be sealed and taken to the laboratory for testing.
• The lab technician will then use a dipstick to perform the urine protein dipstick test.
• The dipstick is a long narrow strip of plastic or paper coated with different chemicals.
• These chemicals react with substances in the urine to produce a colour change that can be compared to an accompanying chart, which will indicate the level of albumin in the sample.

Types of Urine Protein Dipstick Tests

• Albustix® – a semiquantitative test for albumin in urine.
• Multistix® – a dipstick that tests for a wide range of substances, including albumin.

Risks

• There is no significant risk associated with a urine protein dipstick test.
• In rare cases, incorrect sample collections can lead to incorrect results, and the test may need to be repeated.

Why the Test is Performed?

• A urine protein dipstick test is used to check for abnormally high levels of albumin in the urine.
• Albumin in the urine is known as albuminuria and can indicate various disease states including kidney and cardiovascular diseases.
• It can also indicate pre-existing conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and liver disease.
• It is sometimes used to monitor the progression of pre-existing diseases in certain patients.

When to Perform the Test?

• A urine protein dipstick test is usually performed as part of a routine physical exam.
• It may be repeated in the future to monitor the progression of any pre-existing conditions.
• It may also be recommended if you have signs and symptoms of kidney disease, including puffiness around your eyes and ankles, swelling of your legs, discoloured or bubbly urine, and frequent urination.