Proteinuria

Causes & Risk Factors

Proteinuria can result from various underlying conditions affecting the kidneys or urinary tract:

•  Diabetic kidney disease — a common cause of proteinuria.

•  Glomerular disease — conditions directly affecting the kidney's filtering units.

•  Hypertension-related kidney disease.

•  Nephrotic syndrome — a condition characterized by significant protein loss.

•  Other chronic kidney diseases.

•  Transient proteinuria can also occur with fever, exercise, or dehydration, without indicating underlying kidney disease.

Symptoms & When to Test

Proteinuria itself may cause no specific symptoms, particularly in mild cases, and is often first detected through routine urinalysis rather than through symptoms.

•  Often asymptomatic, particularly in mild proteinuria

•  Foamy or frothy urine can be a sign of more significant protein loss

•  Swelling (edema), particularly with more significant protein loss

•  Often identified incidentally through routine urinalysis performed for another reason

When Should You Consider Testing?

Testing is appropriate for foamy urine, swelling, known diabetes or hypertension requiring kidney screening, or when protein is detected incidentally on routine urinalysis and requires further quantification and evaluation.

Why Tests Are Combined

Urine ACR and UPCR both quantify urinary protein loss, but through slightly different measures — ACR specifically measures albumin (the primary protein of interest in most kidney diseases, especially diabetic and glomerular disease), while UPCR measures total protein, which can be more informative in certain non-albumin-predominant conditions.

24-hour urine protein, while more cumbersome to collect, may be used in selected clinical situations when precise quantification of total daily protein loss is specifically required, since spot urine ratios (ACR, UPCR) provide an estimate rather than a direct daily total.

Serum albumin and creatinine/eGFR are included because significant proteinuria can lower blood albumin levels and may be associated with reduced kidney function — together, this combination assesses both the degree of protein loss and its broader impact on the body and kidney function.

Tests Available at NPL

Preparation requirements vary by specific test — please follow the instructions provided by your doctor or NPL for the tests ordered.

Home Sample Collection

NPL offers convenient home sample collection for Proteinuria blood tests, so you don't need to visit a lab in person.

→ Book your test online, via the NPL app, or by calling +977 1 5970147 and select a convenient time slot for home sample collection.

→ A certified and experienced NPL phlebotomist visits your home at the scheduled time, following strict hygiene and safety protocols.

→ Your sample is transported under controlled, monitored conditions to NPL's NABL ACCREDITED UNDER ISO 15189:2012laboratory for processing.

→ Your digital report is delivered securely to your phone or email, along with access to download and share it as needed.

When to See a Doctor

•  Foamy or frothy urine

•  Unexplained swelling (edema)

•  Protein detected on routine urinalysis requiring further evaluation

•  Known diabetes or hypertension due for kidney screening