Albumin is a protein that is normally found in the blood and
filtered by the kidneys. When the kidneys are working properly,
albumin is not present in the urine. But when the kidneys are
damaged, small amounts of albumin leak into the urine. This
condition is called microalbuminuria. Microalbuminuria is most
often caused by kidney damage from diabetes. But many other
conditions can lead to kidney damage, such as high blood
pressure, heart failure, cirrhosis or systemic lupus
erythematosus (SLE).
The persistent appearance of
small amounts of albumin in urine (microalbuminuria) may be the first indicator
of a renal dysfunction. For diabetic patients, positive results may be the first
indicator of a diabetic nephropathy.
