Albumin creatinine ratio

What are albumin and creatinine?

Albumin is a protein produced in the liver that can be found in the blood plasma of humans. Almost half of the total blood serum protein is albumin and its main role is to bind the constituents in the blood, abd specifically to make sure that fluids remain inside the blood. When there is an albumin deficiency, the blood fluids tend to disintegrate and leak into the body's tissues, causing edema (a swelling, often of the legs or arms, caused by excess fluid buildup in those places).

Creatinine is a waste product resulting from the break down of creatine during muscle metabolism. The kidneys are responsible for the filtration of creatinine from the blood, after which it is excreted with the urine/

Albumin and creatinine can both be found in blood and therefore, a simple blood test can measure the amounts and levels of these products in blood. Since the kidneys are responsible for the filtration of the blood, albumin and creatinine can be also found in the urine. Therefore, a urine test can also be done to measure the levels of albumin and creatinine.

In order to check the proper functioning of the kidneys, an albumin vs creatinine ratio is measured. It is a test that helps indicate whether the kidneys are healthy ad functioning well or not.

What is the normal albumin to creatinine ratio?

In an albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) test, the amount of albumin that passes from the kidneys to the urine is compared to the amount of creatinine. The levels of albumin in a person's urine can be measured easily and cheaply by performing a simple urine test. However, an albumin creatinine ratio test in which urine is usually collected over a 24 hour period is preferable, since any kind of variation in the concentration in urine will not affect the test results this way. It is considered that the normal ratio of albumin to creatinine is less than 30 milligrams of albumin per gram of creatinine.

The normal albumin creatinine ratio is not the same in men and in women. It is considered that the normal ratio of albumin to creatinine in men is less or equal to 17 mg/g of creatinine. On the other side, the normal albumin creatinine ratio in women is around 25 mg/g of creatinine.

Microalbuminuria is the medical term for a high albumin creatinine ratio that ranges from 35 to 300 mg/g of creatinine. This condition means that there is a small amount of albumin in the urine, and that albumin levels are elevated slightly. When this happens, it is a sign that the kidneys are affected by some disorder or disease.

Macroalbuminuria is the medical term for the condition marked by an albumin to creatinine ratio of more than 300 mg/g of creatinine. This means that there is a high level of albumin in urine because albumin levels are severely elevated. When this happens, the kidneys are seriously affected.