Barnsley and Rotherham Integrated Laboratory Services
Date: 09 November 2020
The Blood Sciences department will be moving onto a new Urine Protein method on 11/11/2020 as the current method is being discontinued. The new method has shown a significant shift in results for very low urine protein concentrations and, consequently, a large positive shift in protein : creatinine ratio (PCR) results in those samples.
Therefore, we have decided that we will only report PCR on samples with a urine protein of 0.3 g/L or greater ( ≥ 1+ on Siemens Multistix urine dipstick).
Please be aware that samples with urine protein results less than 1.0 g/L may still see a positive shift in calculated PCR by 10 – 30%.
In patients with either Trace or 1+ protein in their urine on dipstick analysis, please request both an albumin : creatinine ratio (ACR) and PCR, as ACR is more sensitive at lower urine protein levels. Alternatively, consider measuring 24-hour urine protein.
Please contact Cat Dibden, Consultant Biochemist, via e-mail Catherine.dibden@nhs.net if you have any queries about this change.