Assessing proteinuria in chronic kidney disease: Protein- creatinine ratio vs albumin-creatinine ratio

Abstract

Quantification of proteinuria is important in the assessment of chronic kidney disease (CKD).Early detection and treatment for CKD can reduce the progression of kidney disease and its complications like cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to find out a better parameter to identify proteinuria(albuminuria) in CKD patients. The study design is a case control study with 50 controls (apparently healthy) with normal urine protein to creatinine ratio (uPCR→0.0-0.3) and normal eGFR and 50 chronic kidney disease(CKD) patients as cases with increased uPCR and decreased eGFR (GFR < 60 mL/min/1.73m2).Urine protein is measured by pyrogallal red method. Urine albumin is measured by immunoturbidimetric assay and urine albumin to creatinine ratio(uACR) is calculated. Data were analysed using SPSS software version 22.0. uACR is found to correlate better than uPCR with eGFR values & uACR has p value < 0.005 and significant. uPCR has p value >0.005 and is not significant.Urine albumin to creatinine ratio(uACR) was found to be superior than urine protein to creatinine ratio(uPCR) to identify proteinuria mainly albuminuria in CKD patients.