BACKGROUND: Urine protein strip tests are often used in the ward or clinic as first-line measures of proteinuria. The ability of a semi-quantitative meter-read strip test for the protein:creatinine ratio, Multistix* PRO 10LS (Siemens Medical Solutions, Tarrytown, USA), was assessed as a first-line test to exclude significant proteinuria in the monitoring of patients with established chronic kidney disease. METHODS: Eighty-six patients attending a hospital renal outpatient clinic collected three random urine samples during a 24-h period. Random urine protein:creatinine ratios measured by the strip test were compared to the laboratory estimation of 24-h protein excretion on that same day. RESULTS: At significant protein excretion of 0.3 g/24 h, the strips elicited negative predictive values in the range of 91.2-94.1% and negative likelihood ratios of 0.01-0.12, using all the random urines. Receiver-operator characteristic curve analysis also demonstrated good performance with all samples. CONCLUSIONS: The strip test allows the physician to rule out significant proteinuria at the patient consultation on a random urine sample, obviating the need for specially collected samples, and with the added benefit of reducing the need for a lengthy and costly quantitative laboratory follow-up by approximately 40-48%.
BACKGROUND: Urine protein strip tests are often used in the ward or clinic as first-line measures of proteinuria. The ability of a semi-quantitative meter-read strip test for the protein:creatinine ratio, Multistix* PRO 10LS (Siemens Medical Solutions, Tarrytown, USA), was assessed as a first-line test to exclude significant proteinuria in the monitoring of patients with established chronic kidney disease. METHODS: Eighty-six patients attending a hospital renal outpatient clinic collected three random urine samples during a 24-h period. Random urine protein:creatinine ratios measured by the strip test were compared to the laboratory estimation of 24-h protein excretion on that same day. RESULTS: At significant protein excretion of 0.3 g/24 h, the strips elicited negative predictive values in the range of 91.2-94.1% and negative likelihood ratios of 0.01-0.12, using all the random urines. Receiver-operator characteristic curve analysis also demonstrated good performance with all samples. CONCLUSIONS: The strip test allows the physician to rule out significant proteinuria at the patient consultation on a random urine sample, obviating the need for specially collected samples, and with the added benefit of reducing the need for a lengthy and costly quantitative laboratory follow-up by approximately 40-48%.
Authors: Anandakumar Shunmugavel; Mushfiquddin Khan; Peter C Te Chou; Ramanpreet K Dhindsa; Marcus M Martin; Anne G Copay; Brian R Subach; Thomas C Schuler; Mehmet Bilgen; John K Orak; Inderjit Singh Journal: J Inflamm (Lond) Date: 2010-04-19 Impact factor: 4.981