How to diagnose Diabetic Kidney Disease ?
A health care provider diagnoses diabetic kidney disease based on
                
- a medical and family history  - a physical exam  - urine tests  - a blood test
                
Medical and Family History
                
Taking a medical and family history is one of the first things a health care provider may do to help diagnose diabetic kidney disease. He or she will ask about the symptoms and the patients diabetes history.
                
Physical Exam
                
After taking a medical and family history, a health care provider will perform a physical exam. During a physical exam, a health care provider usually
                
- examines the patients body to check for changes in skin color  - taps on specific areas of the patients body, checking for swelling of the feet, ankles, or lower legs
                
Urine Tests
                
Dipstick test for albumin. A dipstick test performed on a urine sample can detect the presence of albumin in the urine. A patient collects the urine sample in a special container in a health care providers office or a commercial facility. The office or facility tests the sample onsite or sends it to a lab for analysis. For the test, a nurse or technician places a strip of chemically treated paper, called a dipstick, into the urine. Patches on the dipstick change color when blood or protein is present in urine.
                
Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio. A health care provider uses this measurement to estimate the amount of albumin passed into the urine over a 24-hour period. The patient collects a urine sample during an appointment with the health care provider. Creatinine is a waste product that is filtered in the kidneys and passed into the urine. A high urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio indicates that the kidneys are leaking large amounts of albumin into the urine. A urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio above 30 mg/g may be a sign of kidney disease.
                
Blood Test
                
A blood test involves having blood drawn at a health care providers office or a commercial facility and sending the sample to a lab for analysis. A health care provider may order a blood test to estimate how much blood the kidneys filter each minute, called the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The results of the test indicate the following:
                
- eGFR of 60 or above is in the normal range  - eGFR below 60 may indicate kidney damage  - eGFR of 15 or below may indicate kidney failure