title: The clinical application of a urine albumin:creatinine ratio point-of-care device.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Microalbuminuria is an accepted predictive marker for the early detection of renal disease and the identification of patients at high risk of developing complications of diabetes and hypertension. The Bayer Clinitek 50 is a urine chemistry point-of-care analyser for the semi-quantitative measurement of albumin and creatinine and calculation of albumin:creatinine ratio (ACR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Urine samples were obtained from 252 consecutive patients attending a city center diabetic clinic, and from 40 patients on admission to the ICU. Albumin and creatinine measurements were carried out using the Clinitek 50 and by the central laboratory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Clinitek 50 results agreed with the central laboratory results in 89% of the diabetic patient samples and 80% of the ICU patient samples. Excluding samples defined as normal by the Clinitek 50 (ACR<3.4 mg/mmol) would have resulted in an 80% reduction in samples sent to the lab for further quantification. The average length of stay in the group of ICU patients with normal ACR was significantly less than for those patients with an abnormal ACR (p<0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Clinitek 50 provides useful, immediate clinical information regarding the microalbuminuria status for use in the diabetic clinic setting or as a potential immediate risk management tool in intensive care.
authors.affiliation: Health Services Research Unit, University of Aberdeen, AB515JE, Aberdeen, UK. B.L.CROAL@ABDN.AC.UK
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Croal
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Mutch
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dickie
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Church
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Noble
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Ross
mesh_terms: D000419:Albuminuria / Q000652:urine*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D003404:Creatinine