Study: Urine Protein Predicts Trouble

New research suggests that protein in urine is a more important predictor of kidney problems and death than doctors realized. The study looked at tests done on nearly 1 million adults in Canada. One test looked for protein in the urine. The other, a blood test, showed how well the kidneys were clearing waste products from the body. Doctors usually focus on this kidney function test to predict whether kidney disease will get worse. But the new study found that people with high levels of urine protein were more likely to die or have a heart attack or kidney failure. And this occurred even in people with relatively normal kidney function, as shown by the blood test. The study appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association. HealthDay News wrote about it February 2.