Protein creatinine index and Albustix in assessment of proteinuria.

The protein creatinine index in early morning and random urine specimens was compared with the 24 hour urinary excretion of protein in normal subjects and outpatients with abnormal proteinuria. A protein creatinine index (defined as (mg protein/1 divided by creatinine mmol/1) times 10) below 125 in a random specimen excluded abnormal proteinuria, whereas an index of more than 136 indicated the presence of pathological proteinuria. The index for random specimens provided a useful semiquantitative assessment of the 24 hour excretion of protein (mg protein/24 hours), but the index for early morning specimens was less reliable.