KidneyScreen At-Home(R)
A Dried urine sample collection kit
for mail-in microalbumin testing*
KidneyScreen At-Home(R)
- Are to use, accurate, and convenient.
With KidneyScreen At-Home(R),
you can collect a urine sample in the privacy of your own home. The
Urisite(R) collection paddle allows you to mail your sample to our laboratory
in a dried state. We will process your sample and mail the results to
you.
Kidney disease is one
of the most devastating complications of diabetes. Early detection is
a vital first step in the prevention of further kidney damage. KidneyScreen
At-Home(R) provides this early warning by measuring the microalbumin
level in your urine.
The American Diabetes
Association (ADA) and American Kidney Foundation (AKF) recommend every
individual with diabetes tested for microalbuminuria annually.
FDA CLEARED FOR CONSUMER
USE.
*Maryland residents
require authorization from a Maryland physician.*
- A morning urine sample is
all it takes.
- Form is easy to fill out.
- Mail it back to FlexSite
in pre-addressed envelope included.
- Call for your results or
get them mailed back.
- American Diabetes Association
(ADA) says 20%-30% of individuals with diabetes develop kidney disease.
- Licensed clinical laboratory
results.
- FDA cleared for consumer
use.
Preventing Kidney
Disease
According to the American
Diabetes Association (ADA), 20%-30% of individuals with diabetes develop
kidney disease. This is in spite of the fact that it is one of the most
preventable of all the devastating complications of diabetes. The key
is early detection. If it detected in the earliest stages, kidney dysfunction
with treatment can be stopped or reversed. The best way to assure early
detection is by doing a urine test that measures the levels of a protein
called microalbumin.
Why Diabetes Damages
Kidney
When our bodies digest
the protein we eat, the process creates waste products that build up
in the blood. In the kidneys, millions of tiny blood vessels (capillaries)
with even tinier holes in them act as filters. As blood flows through
the blood vessels, small molecules such as waste products squeeze through
the holes and become part of the urine. Useful substances, such as protein
and red blood cells, are too big to pass through the holes in the filter
so they stay in the blood.
However, when blood
sugar levels get too high, it can cause damage to the filters. This
puts extra strain on the kidneys and after many years, they start to
leak useful protein into the urine. Having small amounts of protein
in the urine is called microalbuminuria. Having larger amounts is called
proteinuria or macroalbuminuria.
Over the course of
time, some of the filters in the kidneys may collapse if the strain
continues to be too great. As the capillaries lose their filtering ability,
waste products start to build up in the blood. Finally, the kidneys
fail. This failure is called end-stage renal disease (ESRD). ESRD is
very serious. A person with ESRD needs either to have a kidney transplant
or to have the blood filtered by machine (dialysis).
Microalbumin Testing
Early detection is
the key to preventing kidney disease. There are no symptoms in the earliest
stages, so it is vital to test for microalbuminuria on a regular basis.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the American Kidney Foundation
(AKF) recommend that everyone with diabetes be tested for microalbuminuria
annually.
However, studies have
shown that only one out of every 10 patients with diabetes has a microalbumin
test done annually. This is due to a number of reasons including a lack
of awareness about the importance of the test and the inconvenience
of the traditional 24-hour urine collection required by traditional
laboratories.
Clearly, if you have
diabetes, it is worth having a yearly microalbumin test in order lower
your risk of developing kidney disease. For more information on diabetes
and kidney disease, contact the National Institute of Diabetes &
Digestive & Kidney Diseases.
Links to more information
about Microalbumin testing.
- Importance
of Microalbuminuria Testing for Patients with Diabetes. - uspharmacist.com
- National institute of Diabetes
and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. - American Diabetes Association
- diabetes.org
