Question on kidney test results
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Question on kidney test results
| Tue, 02-10-2004 - 8:02pm |
My DH was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in October. He went back for a checkup and I have a question about his test results. His microalbumin count was 54. The dr. checked "abnormal result-will address this at next visit." His HgbA1c test result was 6.0. Does anyone know what a normal count is for the microalbumin? It upsets me that the dr. would mail these test results, check "abnormal", and not call him to discuss. Since this is so new to us, it leaves us "hanging", worried about the count.
If anyone has any advice or insight, I'd appreciate it! Thanks.
Brenda

Hi Brenda,
Let me see if I shed some light on this subject for you. A single abnormal test is not sufficient to diagnose microalbuminuria. Albumin secreation can vary 40-50% per day to day. The diagnosis of microalbuminuria requires two values of 30 and 300 within a three month period. A value above 300 signals clinical proteinuria. Incidentally in diabetics, they don't normally show albumin until they have been diagnosed at least five years. If this turns out to be microalbuminuria for your husband, he has been diabetic much longer than he knew. His doctor may request a 24 hour urine specimen. If it is proven that your husband has microalbuminuria the first line treatment is an ACE inhibitor, which is a special type of antihypertensive medication. It usually reverses the microalbuminuria.
So lets keep our finger crossed that this not the diagnosis and that when he has the test repeated it will be negative.
Mary Frances
cl-maryfrances40
Thanks so much for shedding some light on this for us! We are so new at this and sometimes it's all overwhelming. I think my DH would have handled this better if the doctor would have verbally explained things to him, instead of sending the lab report through the mail with no explanations. How soon would he need to have another test done for this? Also, what should he strive for on his A1C? These are things his dr. has never discussed with him, which seems to be a common complaint on this board. Why are some doctors so close-mouthed about diabetes? That has probably been my DH's biggest frustration, lack of information from the professional that you are supposed to be able to count on and trust. I think it might be time to switch!!
Brenda