Test Details: It is used for calculating the albumin concentration per creatinine. This test is used for assessing the potential for early onset of nephropathy in diabetic patients using random urine specimens. Diabetic nephropathy is a complication of diabetes and is characterized by proteinuria (normal urinary albumin excretion is < 30 mg/day; overt proteinuria is > 300 mg/day). Before overt proteinuria develops, albumin excretion increases in those diabetic patients who are destined to develop diabetic nephropathy. Therapeutic maneuvers (e.g. aggressive blood pressure maintenance, particularly with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors; aggressive blood sugar control; and possibly decreased protein intake) can significantly delay, or possibly prevent, development of nephropathy. Thus, there is a need to identify small, but abnormal, increases in the excretion of urinary albumin (in the range of 30-300 mg/day, i.e. microalbuminuria). Studies also have shown that microalbuminuria is a marker of generalized vascular disease and is associated with stroke and heart disease.