A study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology identified characteristics associated with proteinuria, a predictor of impaired kidney function in children. Research found the level of kidney impairment, the cause of kidney disease, and race are linked to proteinuria, the presence of protein in the urine. These results provide information regarding the importance of proteinuria and the factors associated with its development.
 
Researchers studied more than 400 patients, aged 1 to 16 years. Tests revealed proteinuria levels were higher in children with low glomerular filtration rates, which is an indication of low kidney function. Proteinuria was also associated with minority patients, suggesting differences in proteinuria might be due to genetic or environmental factors. The investigators found proteinuria was associated with glomerular causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD) which damages the glomeruli (filtering units inside the kidneys).
 
The findings from this study will be useful for physicians as they strive to prevent kidney disease progression in young patients. 

This article originally appeared in the April 2009 issue of Kidney Beginnings: The Electronic Newsletter.