[Clinical usefulness of newly developed urine protein dipstick (URINE-TP)].
We assessed the clinical usefulness of a newly developed urine protein dipstick (URINE-TP; U-TP) which can detect gamma-globulin and other proteins as well as albumin. Semiquantitative values of urine protein evaluated with U-TP were compared with those evaluated with ordinary urine protein dipsticks (BM-TEST) in 966 urine samples. The two tests showed the same semiquantitative values in 572 of 966 samples (59.2%; Group A). However, U-TP showed a more positive reaction two gradations higher in 89 samples (9.2%; Group B), and showed a more positive value with one gradation higher in 283 samples (29.3%; Group C) compared with BM-TEST. We then measured total protein, alpha 1-microglobulin (alpha 1-M), NAG and beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-M) in urine, and serum beta 2-M, urea nitrogen (UN) and creatinine (CRE) in both Group A and Group B. In BM-TEST negative patients, urinary total protein, tubular proteins (alpha 1-M, beta 2-M) and NAG were significantly higher (p < 0.01) in Group B than in Group A. Moreover, among patients who had trace or positive results by BM-TEST, serum UN was significantly higher (p < 0.01) in Group B than in Group A. These results suggest that U-TP, a newly developed urine protein dipstick, can detect tubular proteins which cannot be detected by ordinary dipsticks. U-TP may be useful for early detection of renal tubular damage, especially when use is the combined with conventional dipsticks.
Sugai
S
S
Department of Clinical Laboratory, Cancer Institute Hospital, Tokyo.
Yagi
S
S
Miyake
K
K
Mori
M
M
Kanamori
K
K
Siba
K
K
Tomura
S
S
Sugiura
K
K
D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase / Q000652:urine*; D000510:Alpha-Globulins / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000503:physiopathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016482:Urinalysis / Q000379:methods*; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000652:urine*
D000510:Alpha-Globulins; C016001:alpha-1-microglobulin; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase