Microalbumin Urine Test

What To Think About

• The American Diabetes Association recommends a microalbumin urine test for people with:
  • Type 2 diabetes: first at diagnosis and then yearly for diabetic nephropathy.
  • Type 1 diabetes: yearly screening for diabetic nephropathy should begin 5 years after diagnosis.
• If a microalbumin urine test shows that kidney damage may be present, a test to check creatinine levels may be done. A blood test for creatinine is done along with a 24-hour creatinine clearance urine test to check kidney function. For more information, see the medical test Creatinine and Creatinine Clearance.
• A less precise test, the urine dipstick test, can be used to check for microalbuminuria in a single sample of urine. However, the dipstick test does not accurately detect microalbuminuria and is not recommended in place of a microalbumin urine test.

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Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS	Last Updated: March 1, 2007
Medical Review:	Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine
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