Description

In this special episode designed to give you Instant Insights, we explore how protein in the urine is a powerful marker for both kidney and cardiovascular health. We break down how albumin leaks into the urine when the kidney’s filtration barrier is damaged, review traditional cut points for albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR), and discuss emerging evidence showing that even “normal” or low-level albuminuria predicts vascular dysfunction, chronic kidney disease progression, and increased cardiovascular risk.

This episode will

• Explain how albumin appears in the urine and what this indicates about kidney damage (1:00)
• Discussed different nomenclature used for albuminuria (1:45)
• Interpret the clinical significance of uACR values (2:15)
• Describe why albumin levels in the upper end of the normal range may still represent vascular or renal dysfunction (3:00)
• Recognize that any degree of proteinuria signals increased risk for chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular events (4:30)

To learn more, please review the additional resources below for information on our cardiovascular, metabolic, endocrine, and wellness offerings as well as educational resources and insights from our team of experts. At Quest Diagnostics, we are committed to providing you with results and insights to support your clinical decisions.

Date: 11/2025

Speaker(s):  Maeson Latsko, PhD

Contributor(s): Maeson Latsko, PhD; Trisha Winchester, PhD, Millicent Kee, MSN, FNP-BC, Nathan Adamo

Additional Resources

Quest Diagnostics Clinical Education Center [Link] 

Ordering information: 

Albumin, Random Urine with Creatinine

Kidney Profile

References:  

Verma A, Schmidt IM, Claudel S, Palsson R, Waikar SS, Srivastava A. Association of Albuminuria With Chronic Kidney Disease Progression in Persons With Chronic Kidney Disease and Normoalbuminuria : A Cohort Study. Ann Intern Med. 2024 Apr;177(4):467-475. doi: 10.7326/M23-2814. Epub 2024 Apr 2. PMID: 38560911; PMCID: PMC12124184