Lab test · Nephrology
Urine Microalbumin
Early kidney damage (diabetes)
- Urine sample
- No fasting
- Report within 24 hours
- Home collection
What this test is for
Early kidney damage (diabetes)
This test looks for small amounts of albumin, a protein, in the urine. Healthy kidneys keep almost all albumin in the blood, so finding even a little in the urine can be an early warning of kidney damage, often before other tests change. It is mainly used for people with diabetes or high blood pressure.
Why a doctor may order it
- Regular kidney screening for people with diabetes
- Checking the kidneys in people with long-term high blood pressure
- Following people already known to have early kidney damage
- When a routine urine test is normal but early kidney damage is still a concern
How to prepare
Fasting: Not needed.
Eat and drink as you normally would. A sample from your first urine of the morning is best. Strenuous exercise the day before, a urine infection, a fever or your period can give a falsely high result, so let your doctor know if any of these apply.
At home
- Sample
- Urine sample
- How it works
- Collect a midstream sample of your first morning urine in the sterile container provided, without touching the inside of the container or its lid. The collector then labels it and carries it to the laboratory.
- Report
- Within 24 hours of collection.
What the results can mean
The report shows whether albumin in your urine is within the laboratory's reference range. A raised level can be an early sign of kidney damage from diabetes or high blood pressure, but it can also rise for a short time with infection, fever, heart failure or hard exercise. A single raised result is usually rechecked. Your doctor will read it alongside your blood sugar, blood pressure and kidney blood tests.
What's included
One test: Urine Microalbumin, from one urine sample.
Related tests
- Urine Albumin-Creatinine Ratio (ACR)This test compares the amount of albumin, a protein, with the amount of creatinine, a waste product, in a single urine sample.
- Urine Protein-Creatinine Ratio (PCR)This test measures the total protein and the creatinine in a single urine sample and compares them.
- Urine Routine Examination (Urine R/E)A urine routine examination, also called urinalysis, looks at your urine in three ways: its appearance, its chemistry (such as protein, sugar and acidity) and, under a microscope, any cells, crystals or bacteria.
- HbA1c (Glycated Haemoglobin)HbA1c measures how much of the haemoglobin in your red blood cells has glucose (sugar) attached to it.
- Serum ChlorideSalt & water balance৳150
- Cystatin CKidney filtering rate৳2,500
Questions people ask
Why is it called microalbumin?
The name refers to amounts of albumin too small to show on a standard urine dipstick, not a different kind of albumin. Newer reports may call it moderately increased albuminuria.
Is urine microalbumin the same as urine ACR?
They look for the same protein. Many laboratories report microalbumin together with creatinine as a ratio (ACR), which corrects for how dilute the urine is. Your doctor will say which one they need.
Can early kidney damage from diabetes be slowed?
Often, yes. Finding it early matters, because good control of blood sugar and blood pressure, and medicines chosen by your doctor, can help protect the kidneys.
How much does a Microalbumin test cost in Dhaka?
With Mukti Health the price is ৳590, and the sample is collected at your home in Dhaka. You see the price again before you confirm the booking in the Mukti Health app.
Can I do the Microalbumin test at home in Dhaka?
Yes. Book it in the Mukti Health app and a trained sample collector comes to your home in Dhaka to take the urine sample. You do not need to go to a laboratory.
How long does the Microalbumin report take?
The report is usually ready within 24 hours of the sample being collected.