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Protein electrophoresis - urine   

Overview | Risks | Results

Alternative names:

Urine protein electrophoresis; UPEP

Definition:

This is a test that roughly quantitates the various protein fractions in urine. (See also immunoelectrophoresis - urine; immunofixation - urine.)

How the Test is Performed

Child or adult:
Collect a "clean-catch" (midstream) urine sample. To obtain a clean-catch sample, men or boys should wipe clean the head of the penis. Women or girls need to wash the area between the lips of the vagina with soapy water and rinse well. As you start to urinate, allow a small amount to fall into the toilet bowl. (This clears the urethra of contaminants.) Then, in a clean container, catch about 1 to 2 ounces of urine, and remove the container from the urine stream. Give the container to the health care provider or assistant.

Infant:
Thoroughly wash the area around the urethra. Open a urine collection bag (a plastic bag with an adhesive paper on one end), and place it on your infant. For males, the entire penis can be placed in the bag and the adhesive attached to the skin. For females, the bag is placed over the labia. Place a diaper over the infant (bag and all). Check your baby frequently and remove the bag after the infant has urinated into it. For active infants, this procedure may take a couple of attempts -- lively infants can displace the bag, causing an inability to obtain the specimen. The urine is drained into a container for transport back to the health care provider.

Electrophoresis is a laboratory technique. The urine is placed on specially treated paper and exposed to an electric current. The various proteins migrate (move on the paper) to form bands that indicate the relative proportion of each protein fraction.

How to Prepare for the Test

Collection of the first morning urine, which is the most concentrated, may be advised. The health care provider may advise you to discontinue drugs that could interfere with the test. (See "Special considerations".)

How the Test will Feel

This test involves only normal urination, and there is no discomfort.

Why the Test is Performed

Protein is not normally found in the urine in large quantities. However, the presence of protein in the urine can indicate a multitude of disorders.

Urine protein is roughly divided into urine albumin and globulins. Urine protein electrophoresis may be recommended to help determine the cause of protein in the urine or as a screening test to semi-quantitatively measure the various proteins in urine.

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