Proteins in urine | Proteins

Proteins in urine

If a patient’s urine contains an increased amount of proteins during laboratory diagnostics, the doctor refers to it as proteinuria. The urine often appears foamy and cloudy. A slight excretion of proteins via the kidneys is harmless, but if more than 150mg are released in 24 hours, the cause of proteinuria should be sought urgently.

Normally, the proteins do not pass through the “sieve” of the kidneys (glomerular filter), in which the blood is filtered, or they are sorted right back again. However, if this function is impaired, possible kidney damage must be clarified. The diagnosis is usually made by a urine sample.

A urine strip test can very quickly provide information about the protein content of the urine. If more precise data are required, a 24-hour urine sample (collective urine) can also be taken. In this case, the patient must place his urine in a sample container for 24 hours.

Only in this way can it be determined with certainty how much protein he loses through the urine in the course of a day.As a rule, proteinuria damages the filter function of the kidneys, making them too permeable, so to speak. However, there are also situations in which a short-term increase in the protein content of the urine is perfectly normal. These include physical exertion (e.g. through sport), stress, heat, cold or even fever.

In these cases, there is no urgent need for action in case of a temporary increase. However, if the protein excretion continues, kidney diseases in particular should be clarified. For example, inflammation of the kidneys, kidney weakness or diabetes mellitus with a so-called diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage caused by diabetes) could be the cause.

However, the disease does not necessarily always affect the kidneys directly. Heart failure, high blood pressure, pericarditis, tuberculosis and rheumatoid arthritis can also be the cause of protein loss. Some drugs, such as NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), antibiotics or certain cancer therapy agents, can cause increased protein excretion as a side effect.

The therapy of proteinuria then depends completely on the causative disease, so no general statements can be made about this. Also the concrete prevention of a Proteinurie is not possible. However, a healthy lifestyle reduces the probability of suffering from kidney disease or other organ damage and can therefore also protect against increased protein excretion in the urine.