Evaluation of the Bayer® microalbumin/creatinine urinalysis dipstick

BackgroundThe objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of the Bayer® microalbumin/creatinine urine reagent strip compared to established laboratory methods.MethodsRandom urine specimens from low and high risk pregnancy clinics as well as a random cohort from the community were analyzed for microalbumin and creatinine using both the reagent strip and the Roche Integra® 700, according to manufacturers' specifications. Sensitivity and specificity were then calculated.ResultsFor the pregnant cohorts the sensitivities ranged from 19% to 59%, and the range of specificities was 45.4% to 84.2%. Using the microalbumin/creatinine data from the community, the sensitivity and specificity of the strip were 52.4% and 97.6%, respectively.ConclusionThe poor sensitivity of the microalbumin/creatinine urine reagent strip to detect significant microalbuminuria will likely limit its usefulness as a screening tool.