Abstract

ESCALANTE-GOMEZ, Carlos; ZELEDON-SANCHEZ, Fernando  and  ULATE-MONTERO, Guido. Proteinuria,fisiología y fisiopatología aplicada. Acta méd. costarric [online]. 2007, vol.49, n.2, pp.83-89. ISSN 0001-6002.

Proteinuria is defined as the urinary excretion of more than 150 mg of protein in 24 hours. Proteinuria has been used as a marker of renal disease, becoming one of the nephrologists ’ most used markers. Common conditions such as arterial hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus express their renal damage as proteinuria, which has become a marker of systemic and not only renal disease. Normally, an individual filters 5000mg of proteins each day, of which 4950 mg are reabsorbed in the proximal kidney tubule. In the present article we analyze the different types of proteinuria based on pathophysiological concepts. Currently, there are many laboratory methods for proteinuria quantification, but the proteinuria /creatinuria ratio and the 24 hour urine collection continue to be the more commonly utilized. Proteinuria has been shown to be individually the most important factor used to predict the progression of renal disease.The importance of proteinuria has also been confirmed in cardiac patients, becoming a risk factor for ischemic cardiovascular disease even more important than other classic ones such as smoking, diabetes or left ventricular hypertrophy. Proteinuria is more than just proteins in the urine,it ’s a sign of alert.

Keywords : proteinuria; renal physiology; nephropathy.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )