Illness name: acr test
Description:
Urine albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR), also known as urine microalbumin, helps identify kidney disease that can occur as a complication of diabetes.
If kidney disease is diagnosed early in people with
diabetes
, appropriate treatment can be given and its effects can be closely monitored.
This means a person's ACR level should be checked as soon as diabetes is diagnosed.
It should also be measured each year, or more frequently, if your ACR level is significantly raised.
If you have a slightly raised ACR level, you may have early-stage kidney disease. A very high ACR level indicates more severe kidney disease. A very low ACR value probably means your kidneys are functioning normally.
If diabetes is well managed, it's easier to control or prevent complications developing, such as
high blood pressure
, which can sometimes lead to kidney disease.
Read more about treating
type 1 diabetes
and treating
type 2 diabetes
.
Read more about
ACR at Lab Tests Online UK
.
Page last reviewed: 24 May 2022
Urine albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR)
Next review due: 24 May 2025