Causes of Proteinuria

Cause details for Proteinuria: As blood passes through healthy kidneys, they filter the waste products out and leave in the things the body needs, like proteins. Most proteins are too big to pass through the kidneys' filters into the urine, unless the kidneys are damaged. The two proteins that are most likely to appear in urine are albumin and globulin. Albumin is smaller and therefore more likely to escape through the filters of the kidney, called glomeruli. Albumin's function in the body includes retention of fluid in the blood. It acts like a sponge, soaking up fluid from body tissues.

Inflammation in the glomeruli is called glomerulonephritis, or simply nephritis. Many diseases can cause this inflammation, which leads to proteinuria. Additional processes that can damage the glomeruli and cause proteinuria include diabetes, hypertension, and other forms of kidney diseases. ¹

In some cases, prostatitis is caused by bacterial infection and can be treated with antibiotics. But the more common forms of prostatitis are not associated with any known infecting organism.²

Underlying condition causes of Proteinuria: The list of possible underlying conditions (see also Misdiagnosis of underlying causes of Proteinuria) mentioned in various sources as possible causes of Proteinuria includes:

Kidney disease
Kidney conditions
High blood pressure
Hypertension-related kidney failure

Proteinuria as a symptom: Conditions listing Proteinuria as a symptom may also be potential underlying causes of Proteinuria. The list of conditions listing Proteinuria as a symptom in our database includes:

Related information for causes of Proteinuria: Further relevant information on causes of Proteinuria may be found in the risk factors for Proteinuria and underlying causes of Proteinuria.

Footnotes:
1. excerpt from Proteinuria: NIDDK
2. excerpt from Your Urinary System and How It Works: NIDDK

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