Comparison of 8-h urine protein and random urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio with 24-h urine protein in pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the relationship between 24-h and 8-h urinary protein excretion and protein-to-ceratinine (p:c) ratio in random urine sample. As well as determining a best cutoff for p:c ratio for accurately diagnose significant proteinuria.

METHODS

Fifty hospitalized pregnant women who need 24 h urine collection for medical complications were studied. At first for each patient protein-to-createnin ratio in random urine sample was done. Then 8- and 24-h urinary protein estimation was performed. The 24-h and 8-h urinary protein were compared to urinary p:c ratio in random urine sample.

RESULTS

There were significant correlations (p < 0.001) between protein levels of 24-h and 8-h urine collections (r = 0.75), 24-h and random urine p:c ratio (r = 0.97) as well as 8-h and random urine p:c ratio (r = 0.79). Mean protein levels were significantly higher in group with proteinuria ≥ 300 mg/24 h in these three types of urine samples (p < 0.001). We found cutoff levels of 105 mg for 8-h urine sample and of 0.18 for p:c ratio.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that 8-h urine protein or random p:c ratio in a single-voided urine can be appropriate methods for detection of proteinuria in the shorter period than 24-h urine protein.