Albumin to creatinine ratio: an unreliable index of 24 h albumin excretion in healthy adults
Townsend, J.C.
New Zealand Medical Journal 100(817): 66-67
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0028-8446 PMID: 3469547 Document Number: 300862
The urine albumin to creatinine ratio was studied on four timed collections during a 24 h period in a group of 30 healthy volunteers. The results show large within and between subject variation not explained by exercise, and the absence of a predictable diurnal pattern. It was not possible to predict the 24 h excretion of albumin from the albumin to creatinine ratio of a separately collected random urine sample. The large variations of the ratio observed in healthy subjects stress the need for 24 h urine collections rather than random samples when assessing albumin excretion.