Urine Albumin Standardization
Along with estimated GFR, urine albumin measurement and reporting is critical to the early detection and treatment of chronic kidney disease. Lack of standardization of urine albumin measurement and reporting makes it difficult for providers to uniformly use test results to inform treatment decisions and monitor kidney health.
Measurement and Reporting Issues
- Multiple of test options (ex: albumin, albumin-to-creatinine ratio, etc.)
- Confusion about the type of urine sample to collect (ex: random, timed, overnight, or 24-hour)
- Lack of international reference material and no standardized urine albumin measurement procedures
- No standardized reporting units
- Arbitrary single cut-off value (30 mg/g) vs. specific cut-off values based on sex and/or age
Working Towards Standardization
NIDDK and the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine convened a group of international experts to address measurement and reporting issues for urine albumin. The group began framing the issues associated with the urine albumin/creatinine ratio measurement and developing a plan to improve harmonization and standardization of the test.
NIDDK, the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, and other stakeholders are working to address agreed upon priorities. They also have published a manuscript outlining the issues and a proposed research agenda.
Stay Informed
The NIDDK Laboratory Working Group is continuing efforts to standardize urine albumin. Learn more about the NIDDK Laboratory Working Group and read recent Laboratory Working Group meeting summaries, which provide up-to-date information on urine albumin standardization efforts.