Which parameters are measured in the kidney test?
The GetTested kidney test is a simple at-home test that doesn't require sending to a lab for analysis, but provides instant results. The kidney test measures creatinine, protein, and specific gravity in the urine, and the test result is displayed by visual comparison with a color chart on the package.
About the kidneys
In the kidneys, waste products and excess water are filtered from your blood. The actual filtering units are the small units within the kidneys, the nephrons. Each kidney has approximately one million nephrons. In most kidney diseases, the nephrons are attacked, altering their ability to filter blood and produce urine.
Common symptoms of impaired kidney function
In the early stages of kidney disease, you usually don't feel sick at all. As kidney disease worsens, you may experience some of the following symptoms:
- Feeling tired
- Drowsiness or difficulty concentrating
- Loss of appetite / nausea and vomiting
- Swelling or stiffness of the hands or feet
- Frequent or less frequent urination
- Muscle cramps (painful and involuntary muscle contractions)
- darkening of the skin
storage
Store at room temperature 15-30°C. Do not refrigerate or freeze test strips. Do not expose test strips to moisture, heat, or light before use. Use the test strip immediately after opening the foil pouch.
How is the kidney test performed
Start by collecting the urine in a glass or cup. Pull a test strip from the wrapper and hold the end, which is completely white and has no colored square. The colored part of the test strip should be dipped into the glass of urine for no more than one second. To remove excess urine, remove the test strip and gently tap it against the edge of the glass. Hold the test strip horizontally for 30-60 seconds. This allows the reaction to take place. Compare the result on the test strip with the color chart in the package.
Testing restrictions
The color development on the test strip can be affected by substances that cause abnormal urine color, such as certain medications. The color development in the reaction zone may be masked, or a color reaction may occur in the reaction zone, which can be visually interpreted as a false positive. Therefore, in cases of doubt, repeating the test after discontinuing the medication (after consulting a physician) is recommended.
Protein: The minimum sensitivity of this test is achieved at 10-20 mg/dL protein in urine. A false negative result may occur in highly buffered alkaline urine (pH 9). Results are also difficult to interpret in turbid urine samples.
Specific gravity: Elevated specific gravity values may occur with moderate amounts of protein (100-700 mg/dL); specific gravity increases with the amount of glucose in the urine.
Creatinine: Low creatinine concentrations may be due to dilution.
