Total protein (24 hour urine)

General Information

Total protein (24 hour urine) — The test measures the total amount of protein excreted in the urine over a 24-hour period. The test is used to assess kidney function and to detect conditions associated with increased protein loss, including glomerular diseases, diabetic nephropathy, hypertensive nephropathy, and nephrotic syndrome. Increased protein excretion in the urine may be an early sign of kidney damage and should be evaluated in conjunction with clinical findings.

Common protein

Under normal conditions, only a small amount of protein is present in the urine. Protein in the urine is represented by plasma and other additional proteins that have been filtered by the glomeruli and have not been reabsorbed by the proximal tubules of the kidneys. Thus, one third of the proteins in the urine are albumin, the rest are globulins and glycoproteins secreted by the renal tubular cells.

Increased protein in the urine may indicate functional renal failure, which is often the first symptom that develops before clinical manifestations of the disease. It is also important to consider the fact that protein in the urine may increase for some physiological and/or non-renal reasons.