Semi-quantitative determination of microalbuminuria by urinary dipstick.

Abstract

Microalbuminuria predicts subsequent clinical nephropathy and mortality in diabetic patients. This study was undertaken to determine the usefulness of a new immunochemical urinary dipstick test (Micral-Test, Boehringer Mannheim, GmbH Mannheim, Germany) in identifying urinary albumin concentrations within the microalbuminuric range (urinary albumin concentration 20-200 mg/L). Twenty-four hour urine specimens were collected from 298 consecutive diabetic outpatients. Micral-Test was performed by two laboratory scientists blinded to each other's results and those of radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunoturbidimetry on the same specimen. When compared with RIA, Micral-Test had an overall sensitivity ..