Screening of diabetic patients for microalbuminuria in primary care--The PROSIT-Project. Proteinuria Screening and Intervention.

The PROSIT (Proteinuria Screening and Intervention) Project started in 1993 in order to obtain data on the prevalence of micro- and macroalbuminuria in diabetic patients treated in primary care, to establish an easy screening programme for microalbuminuria, in which also diabetic patients can participate in self-responsibility, and to implement a specific intervention programme for incipient nephropathy. In 58 representative doctor's offices 647 diabetic patients were included, who performed at home self-tests for microalbuminuria on three days within one week using the early morning urine and a newly developed qualitative immunologic test-strip for microalbuminuria. After storage they returned the same urine samples to their doctors' offices for semiquantitative retesting with the immunologic test-strip Micral-Test II.