Knowledge About Proteinuria And Kidney Disease

Contact: emily.li@wecistanche.com

Does a positive urine protein test result mean that you have kidney disease?

It is well known that the production of proteinuria is closely related to the structure and function of the kidneys. The glomerulus in the kidney has a filter membrane that has a good permeation filtration function. The blood in the human body flows through the kidneys in the process of circulation. The glomerulus filters the water and medium and small molecules in the plasma to form original urine. However, since both the glomerular filtration membrane and the plasma proteins have the same negative charge, according to the principle of same-sex repulsion, the plasma proteins will remain in the plasma and are not easily filtered. Only very small amounts of plasma proteins are leaked, but they are reabsorbed back into the circulating blood when they pass through the renal tubules in the original urine. Therefore, the human body leaks about 40-100 mg of protein every day, which cannot be detected by the qualitative method of urine protein.

In fact, persistent proteinuria is a hallmark of chronic kidney disease. Don't be too nervous if you accidentally find proteinuria, because in some special cases, people without kidney disease can also develop proteinuria, mainly in the following situations:

Click here to get more information about Cistanche Extract Powder

01 Physiological proteinuria

It refers to transient proteinuria that occurs in healthy people and is more common in young people. Under the influence of strenuous exercise, fever, high temperature, cold, mental stress, dehydration, and other factors, renal vasospasm or congestion, results in glomerular filtration Membrane permeability is enhanced, resulting in a large amount of protein leakage. Protein is normal pregnancy urine can also be slightly increased, which is related to increased renal flow and increased glomerular filtration rate. Physiological proteinuria is often transient and will disappear after the trigger is lifted. No special treatment is required, and a review in one or two weeks is enough.

02 Pseudoproteinuria

If urine samples are not stored carefully and are contaminated by other body fluids, false positives may also occur. Mainly seen in:

① urine mixed with blood, pus, inflammation or tumor secretions, menstrual blood, leucorrhea, etc., routine proteinuria qualitative examination can be positive. A large number of red blood cells, white blood cells, and squamous epithelial cells can be seen in the sediment of this urine, but there is no cast. After the urine is centrifuged or filtered, the protein qualitative test will be significantly reduced or even turned negative;

②After the urine is placed or cooled for a long time, salt crystals can be precipitated, making the urine cloudy and easy to mistake for proteinuria, but heating or adding a little acetic acid can make the cloudy urine clear to help distinguish;

③ urine mixed with semen or prostatic fluid, or lower urethral inflammatory secretions, etc., urine protein reaction can be positive. In this case, the patient has the performance of lower urinary tract or prostate disease, sperm and more squamous epithelial cells can be found in the urine sediment, which can be distinguished;

④Lymphatic urine, which contains less protein and is not necessarily chyle-shaped;

⑤ When some drugs such as rifampicin, Shan Daonian, etc. are excreted from the urine, the urine color can be cloudy and similar to proteinuria, but the protein qualitative reaction is negative.

03 Orthostatic proteinuria

That is, urine protein appears when standing upright and disappears when lying down. Mainly related to renal hemodynamic changes, such as the nutcracker phenomenon, also known as left renal vein compression syndrome, is one of the common causes of orthostatic proteinuria and nonrenal hematuria in children. The Nutcracker phenomenon refers to the clinical symptoms caused by the extrusion of the left renal vein through the angle formed between the abdominal aorta and the superior mesenteric artery during its journey into the inferior vena cava. Orthostatic proteinuria usually resolves on its own with age. The Nutcracker Phenomenon is common in thin teens and children.

In addition, when suffering from severe urinary tract infection, urine protein will also be positive, and it should be reexamined after the infection is actively controlled.

If the above factors are excluded, there is still urine protein+, and 24-hour urine protein quantification, urine routine, renal function, and urinary system ultrasound should be improved to further confirm the diagnosis.

What should be paid attention to after the urine protein in patients with chronic nephritis turns negative?

Chronic glomerulonephritis, referred to as chronic nephritis, is characterized by proteinuria, hematuria, hypertension, and edema as the basic clinical manifestations. In the evaluation of the efficacy of urinary protein in chronic nephritis, the clinical control is "negative protein in urine routine examination, or normal 24-hour urine protein quantitative", combined with the disappearance of symptoms and normal blood pressure control, it can be diagnosed as a clinical cure. So, what should the patient pay attention to after the urine protein turns negative? According to the reasons for the recurrence and aggravation of chronic nephritis, the following matters should be noted:

1. Avoid inflammatory diseases such as colds and infections

Patients with chronic nephritis have low resistance and a high possibility of infection, such as colds, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, rhinitis, appendicitis, cervicitis, prostatitis, intestinal infection, urinary tract infection, and other diseases that may lead to the recurrence of chronic nephritis. If the above diseases occur, the lesions should be carefully searched, and the infected lesions should be removed and treated in time, which can effectively prevent the recurrence of chronic nephritis.

2. Low-salt, low-fat, high-quality, low-protein diet

Alcoholism, overeating, and overeating of fatty, sweet, and rich flavors will induce disease recurrence. First, because the use of xenogeneic animal protein as an antigen, can stimulate the body to produce antibodies, and antigen-antibody complexes are deposited in the glomerulus; second, because of the intake of animal protein, Too will increase the burden on the kidneys. Therefore, patients with chronic nephritis still need a low-salt, low-fat, high-quality low-protein diet after the urine protein turns negative. Balanced nutrition, regular eating, and avoiding tobacco and alcohol can effectively prevent the recurrence of chronic nephritis.

3. Regular work and rest to avoid overwork

After the urine protein of some patients turned negative, they relaxed their vigilance and resumed high-intensity work and exercise, resulting in increased urine protein and recurrence of chronic nephritis. Overwork consumes qi, exhausts the spleen, damages the spleen and stomach, prevents water and grain essence from reaching the limbs, imbalances in Ying and Wei, and does not consolidate and protect the muscle surface. . After the urine protein turns negative, you should exercise or exercise appropriately according to the condition, such as walking, etc., and avoid high-intensity work arrangements and strenuous exercise.

4. Avoid the use of nephrotoxic drugs

The kidney is an important organ for drug metabolism and excretion in the body. Most oral drugs are excreted from the kidney in the form of prototypes or metabolites. Full contact with renal tissue during the excretion process will cause nephron damage, which is more likely to occur in patients with a history of chronic kidney disease. This is because patients with chronic nephritis are more susceptible to drug side effects, and second, patients with chronic nephritis may experience prolonged half-life and drug accumulation after oral administration of drugs. Nephrotoxic drugs should be avoided.

summary

Because chronic nephritis is generally a long disease and easy to repeat, it is still recommended that patients undergo regular reexamination after the urine protein turns negative. The urine routine and renal function should be reviewed monthly within one year after the urine protein turns negative, and the urine should be reviewed at least every 3 months after one year. routine and renal function. In addition to regular review, it is also necessary to pay attention to blood pressure fluctuations and control the blood pressure within the normal range to avoid inducing hypertensive kidney damage or causing the recurrence of chronic nephritis.

In short, after the urine protein of patients with chronic nephritis turns negative, they should maintain good work and rest habits, have a regular diet, have regular daily life, do not work rashly, avoid infection and take nephrotoxic drugs, regularly review, and adjust the treatment plan under the guidance of a doctor, Do not stop medication or work with high intensity on your own to reduce the incentives for the recurrence of chronic nephritis.