Rapid Detection of Urinary Albumin at low Concentration by an Agglutination Inhibition Techniqué

Abstract

Subclinical elevation of urinary albumin excretion (microalbuminuria) identifies individuals at high risk of developing nephropathy in insulin-dependent diabetes. We have evaluated the performance of a new specific method for the rapid detection of microalbuminuria employing a latex agglutination inhibition technique. A total of 96 consecutive sterile first morning urine samples from insulin-dependent diabetic subjects were tested using AlbuScreen TM (Cambridge Life Sciences). Fifteen samples with albumin concentration greater than 27 micrograms/ml (range 27.6-780 micrograms/ml) read positive with AlbuScreen and were identified with 100% sensitivity and specificity. This test which is ten times more sensitive than the qualitative methods in current use and which detects a wide range of urinary albumin concentrations from microalbuminuria to heavier proteinuria may prove useful in the outpatients setting.