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Kidney Tests

Have a kidney test result?

Many people in Mombasa collect a result from a lab or a hospital clinic and want to understand it before they see a doctor. Choose the result you are looking at and we will explain what that test measures.

Written by: Mombasa Kidney Care editorial team

Before you start

This information can help you understand what the test measures. Your result should be interpreted in the context of your health history, other tests and a clinical assessment. There is no calculator here and we do not ask for your numbers.

What result are you trying to understand?

Creatinine Blood test eGFR Calculated Urine protein Urine test ACR Urine test Urea Blood test Potassium Blood test Other Something else

Urine protein

"Protein in urine" can come from two quite different tests, so first check which one is on your report.

  • If it says trace, 1+, 2+ or 3+, it is probably a dipstick result from a urinalysis. This is a rough screen. It can be affected by concentrated urine, exercise, fever or infection.
  • If it gives a number in mg/mmol or mg/g and says ACR (albumin to creatinine ratio) or PCR (protein to creatinine ratio), it is a measured laboratory result. See urine ACR explained.

Protein found on a dipstick is usually followed by an ACR test, often on an early morning sample, and repeated to see whether it persists. Read more about protein in urine.

Urea

Urea is a waste product made in the liver when the body breaks down protein. The kidneys clear it into the urine. Kenyan labs usually report it in mmol/L. Some reports show BUN (blood urea nitrogen) in mg/dL instead, which uses a different scale.

Urea can rise when kidney filtration falls, but it also rises with dehydration, a high protein diet, bleeding in the stomach or gut, and some medicines. It can be low with liver disease or a low protein diet. Because so many things affect it, urea is read together with creatinine and eGFR, not on its own.

Read more on the kidney function tests page.

Potassium

Potassium is a mineral that helps nerves and muscles work, including the heart muscle. The kidneys remove extra potassium from the body, so levels can rise when kidney function is reduced. Some blood pressure and heart medicines can also raise or lower it. Labs report it in mmol/L.

A high potassium result is sometimes caused by the sample itself. If red blood cells break open in the tube (called haemolysis), they release potassium and the result reads falsely high. Labs may note "haemolysed sample" on the report. That is one reason a surprising result may be repeated.

Seek same-day care

If a lab or doctor has told you a potassium result is dangerously high, do not wait for a routine appointment. Go to the nearest hospital emergency department the same day, even if you feel well. Go immediately if you have palpitations, chest pain, muscle weakness or feel faint.

Read more on the kidney function tests page.

Another result

Kidney reports can include many other terms: sodium, chloride, bicarbonate, uric acid, calcium, phosphate, cystatin C, casts, specific gravity and more. Some places to start:

Reading any kidney result safely

  • Use the reference range on your own report. Ranges vary by lab, method, age, sex and, for creatinine, muscle mass.
  • Check the units. Creatinine may be in µmol/L or mg/dL. ACR may be in mg/mmol or mg/g.
  • Look at the trend. One result is a snapshot. Bring earlier reports so a clinician can see the pattern.
  • Blood and urine go together. KDIGO 2024 guidance assesses chronic kidney disease using eGFR and urine albumin together, with changes lasting more than 3 months.
  • A flag is a prompt, not a diagnosis. "H" or "L" means outside that lab's range. It tells you to discuss the result, not what it means for you.

When you are ready to talk it through, our list of questions to ask your doctor can help you prepare.

When to get medical help urgently

Go to the nearest hospital emergency department if you are passing very little or no urine, have severe breathlessness, chest pain, confusion or severe swelling with breathlessness, or if a lab or doctor has told you a result is dangerously abnormal.

Learn moreAll kidney tests explained Understand your next stepAfter a high creatinine result Ready for careFind kidney care in Mombasa

Sources

  1. KDIGO 2024 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Chronic Kidney Disease. kdigo.org
  2. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Kidney disease. niddk.nih.gov
  3. National Kidney Foundation. kidney.org

This page explains what a test or condition involves. It is not a diagnosis and does not replace advice from a doctor who knows your history. Your results should be interpreted together with your symptoms, other tests and a clinical assessment. Medical disclaimer.