Diagnostic accuracy of urinary spot protein:creatinine ratio for proteinuria in hypertensive pregnant women: systematic review.
OBJECTIVE
To review the spot protein:creatinine ratio and albumin:creatinine ratio as diagnostic tests for significant proteinuria in hypertensive pregnant women.


METHODS
Systematic review.


METHODS
Medline and Embase, the Cochrane Library, reference lists, and experts. Review methods Literature search (1980-2007) for articles of the spot protein:creatinine ratio or albumin:creatinine ratio in hypertensive pregnancy, with 24 hour proteinuria as the comparator.


RESULTS
13 studies concerned the spot protein:creatinine ratio (1214 women with primarily gestational hypertension). Nine studies reported sensitivity and specificity for eight cut-off points, median 24 mg/mmol (range 17-57 mg/mmol; 0.15-0.50 mg/mg). Laboratory assays were not well described. Diagnostic test characteristics were recalculated for a cut-off point of 30 mg/mmol. No significant heterogeneity in cut-off points was found between studies over a range of proteinuria. Pooled values gave a sensitivity of 83.6% (95% confidence interval 77.5% to 89.7%), specificity of 76.3% (72.6% to 80.0%), positive likelihood ratio of 3.53 (2.83 to 4.49), and negative likelihood ratio of 0.21 (0.13 to 0.31) (nine studies, 1003 women). Two studies of the spot albumin:creatinine ratio (225 women) found optimal cut-off points of 2 mg/mmol for proteinuria of 0.3 g/day or more and 27 mg/mmol for albuminuria.


CONCLUSIONS
The spot protein:creatinine ratio is a reasonable "rule-out" test for detecting proteinuria of 0.3 g/day or more in hypertensive pregnancy. Information on use of the albumin:creatinine ratio in these women is insufficient.
Côté
Anne-Marie
AM
BC Women's Hospital and Health Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Brown
Mark A
MA
Lam
Elaine
E
von Dadelszen
Peter
P
Firoz
Tabassum
T
Liston
Robert M
RM
Magee
Laura A
LA
D000419:Albuminuria / Q000209:etiology; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine*; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000652:urine*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000209:etiology*; D011934:Reagent Strips / Q000592:standards; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016482:Urinalysis / Q000379:methods
D011934:Reagent Strips; D003404:Creatinine