Proteinuria. What are its causes? What does it show?

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Proteinuria, or proteinuria, is, as the name implies, the presence of protein in the urine. Proteinuria may be physiological in origin, such as vigorous exercise (then called physiological proteinuria), or pathological; it is then caused by some disease, most often kidney disease, and is called pathological proteinuria.

The excretion of protein in the urine is completely natural. The daily excretion should not exceed 150 mg, the average is 50 mg / day. Proteins excreted in urine include albumin, globulins, Tamm-Horsfall protein, immunoglobulin kappa and lambda light chains, and urokinase. The most common protein found in proteinuria is albumin – the main protein in the blood.

Proteinuria symptoms

Proteinuria may be asymptomatic at first; over time, a characteristic symptom becomes visible: proteinuria can be recognized by foaming of the urine. It is worth remembering that with high protein loss, edema develops, e.g. feet, hands or face

Causes of proteinuria

Proteinuria can be classified into six types. These are:

  1. functional proteinuria, induced by exercise, heart failure, fever, frostbite or glomerular impairment,
  2. orthostatic proteinuria, caused by standing for a long time,
  3. tubular proteinuria, caused by damage to the renal tubules and the lack of protein reabsorption,
  4. glomerular proteinuria, which occurs in diseases of the glomeruli,
  5. proteinuria-microalbuminuria, evidence of early stage kidney disease,
  6. Prerenal proteinuria, resulting from “overload”, present in systemic disease and an increased number of low molecular weight proteins in the plasma.

Proteinuria may be an important sign of developing kidney disease; failure to treat this condition may reduce kidney function and then stop it. There are many kidney diseases that can lead to proteinuria. This ailment is also one of the first symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It also occurs with arterial hypertension. Cancer, autoimmune diseases (e.g. systemic lupus erythematosus) and inflammation of the renal vein can also lead to proteinuria. The primary focus in these situations is treating the underlying cause of proteinuria, not treating it itself.

The cause of proteinuria may also be located outside the kidneys. This ailment sometimes also causes heart failure – then it results from congestive heart failure. Another type of protein, the Bence-Jones protein, is evidence of the development of multiple myeloma, a disease where certain cells in the bone marrow grow cancerously. The Bence-Jones protein may also indicate Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia – this neoplastic disease affects the cells of the bone marrow, spleen and lymph nodes.

Urinary tract infection test, which you can do yourself at home, can help you find protein in your urine.

Treatment of proteinuria

Treatment of proteinuria, if it is not pathological, is primarily based on prophylaxis. You should not indulge in excessive physical exertion, take care of the proper body weight and lead a general healthy lifestyle. If the cause of proteinuria resulting from existing disorders or diseases is diagnosed, it should be treated, if possible.

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