Q: Recently, I checked my blood sugar and Microalbuminurea. The results were: Fasting blood sugar – 139, post prandial blood glucose – 184, microalbumin - 50 mg. The medicine prescribed by the doctor is gluformin, cardace and ecosprin. Let me know if there is anything wrong with my kidney as the doctor told me that since protein was being discharged through the urine, this will affect the kidney? Please help.

A:Proteinuria is the presence of an abnormally high amount of protein in the urine. Proteins present in the blood (albumin, immunoglobulin etc.) help in the clotting of blood, fight infection and balance bodily fluids. The kidneys filter wastes from protein-rich blood. The size of most proteins is too large to pass through the kidney but in case of damage to the filtering unit of the kidney (glomeruli), proteins of various sizes pass through them and are excreted in the urine. Depending upon the amount of proteins present in a 24-hour sample of urine, proteinuria can be classified as: a. Microalbuminuria 30–150 mg b. Mild 150–500 mg c. Moderate 500–1000 mg d. Heavy 1000–3000 mg e. Nephrotic range more than 3500 mg With progression of kidney disease, the amount of protein lost in the urine increases. The two most common causes of proteinuria are hypertension and diabetes. Many other kidney diseases like acute glomerulonephritis, amyloidosis, focal glomerulonephritis, minimal change disease etc. too cause proteinuria. The diagnosis of diabetes is made if an individual has symptoms of uncontrolled diabetes - polyuria (increased urination), polydipsia (increased thirst), nocturia (increased urination at night), fatigue or weight loss with a blood sugar level of >200 mg/dl or a fasting blood sugar level > 126 mg/dl on 2 occasions. Your blood sugar is borderline and microalbumin is raised. Please consult a nephrologist who can examine you and then advise appropriately.