Your kidneys are responsible for filtering waste and excess fluid from your blood. When kidney function declines, waste builds up in the body. This can lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD), a condition affecting over 37 million U.S. adults.
The early stages of chronic kidney disease often have no obvious symptoms, so getting tested is important. One way to check for early kidney damage is an albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) test. But what can an ACR test reveal about your kidney health? Here’s what you need to know.
First, what do the kidneys do?
The kidneys typically filter about 150 quarts of blood daily. As blood passes through the kidneys, they remove waste and extra fluid. This process produces urine, which contains the filtered-out waste.
Your kidneys also regulate levels of key salts and minerals (e.g., sodium, potassium and phosphorus), and they produce hormones that control blood pressure, make red blood cells and maintain your bone health.
When the kidneys are damaged, they cannot properly perform these essential functions, and the risk for chronic kidney disease increases.
What is chronic kidney disease?
Chronic kidney disease means the kidneys are damaged and cannot filter blood effectively. The condition typically develops slowly over many years and often goes undetected until later stages when symptoms appear. Common symptoms in late-stage kidney disease include fatigue, swollen feet and ankles, nausea and excessive urination.
Since there are typically no obvious symptoms in the initial stages of CKD, it is critical to test kidney function early to avoid progression of the disease.
How can an ACR kidney test detect early signs of kidney damage?
An albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) test can identify kidney damage long before symptoms occur.
Albumin is a protein made by the liver. Healthy kidneys should not allow albumin to pass from the blood into the urine. Creatinine is a waste product from normal muscle activity and digestion of protein. It is filtered out by the kidneys and released into the urine at a steady rate.
An ACR test measures the amount of albumin compared to the amount of creatinine in a single urine sample. The ratio is calculated by dividing the amount of albumin by the amount of creatinine. If the kidneys are damaged, small amounts of albumin will leak into the urine, and the ratio will reflect higher albumin levels (a normal amount of albumin is less than 30 mg/g)—a possible sign of kidney damage.
Spotting the signs of kidney damage early can allow time to take steps to help slow or stop disease progression, before dialysis or transplant may be needed.
Who should get an ACR kidney test?
Anyone can develop CKD, though there are some risk factors that can make you more susceptible. Diabetes and high blood pressure, for example, are major risk factors. With diabetes, high blood sugar can damage blood vessels and tiny filters in the kidneys so they don’t work properly. High blood pressure can constrict and weaken blood vessels over time, reducing blood flow in the kidneys.
Regardless of what your risk factors may be, knowing your kidney health status through ACR testing empowers you to make informed lifestyle choices and work with your healthcare provider on the best treatment plan.
Don't wait until symptoms occur. Take action with Labcorp OnDemand's Albumin to Creatinine Ratio Test to better understand your kidney health.
