Are You Aware? Quick Facts About Kidney Disease

Urine Albumin Testing in Patients with Diabetes

Diabetes is the most common cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the United States. Monitoring levels of albumin (protein) in the urine is an important way to detect CKD in its early stages and take steps to slow its progression. Testing for urine albumin among people with risk factors such as diabetes is currently recommended.^*  In 2012, in the Veterans Affairs health system, the proportion of patients with diabetes that had their urine checked for albumin varied by age group from 33%–50%. This suggests a potential opportunity to improve urine albumin screening among people with risk factors for kidney disease in this population.

^*National Kidney Foundation. KDOQI^TM. Clinical practice guidelines and clinical practice recommendations for diabetes and chronic kidney disease. Am J Kidney Dis. 2007;49(suppl 2):S1–S180.

Learn more about diabetes and risk factors for CKD.

Recent Publications on Diabetes, CKD, and Urine Albumin:

• Risk Prediction for Early CKD in Type 2 Diabetes
• Association Between High and Very High Albuminuria and Nighttime Blood Pressure: Influence of Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease
• Trends in Prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease in the United States

Learn More About CKD:

• Feature: Get Tested for Chronic Kidney Disease
• Healthy Kidneys [podcast – 4:31]
• Make the Diabetes and Kidney Connection
• National Kidney Disease Education Program
• National Chronic Kidney Disease Fact Sheet
• CDC CKD Surveillance website
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• Contact us to send questions about CKD.
• Receive updates about CKD.