Urine Protein Test for IgAN: Normal Range, Dipstick Chart, and What To Expect

Medically reviewed by Sarika Chaudhari, M.D., Ph.D.

Written by Scarlett Bergam, M.P.H.

Updated on October 20, 2026

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Key Takeaways

A urine protein test is a simple but important way to check how well the kidneys are working, and it plays a key role in monitoring IgA nephropathy, a form of chronic kidney disease.
When kidneys are damaged by IgA nephropathy, protein can leak from the bloodstream into the urine, and tracking this protein over time helps a care team understand how active the condition is. There are several types of urine protein tests, including dipstick tests, albumin/creatinine ratio tests, and 24-hour urine collections, each offering different levels of detail about kidney health.
If you notice sudden changes in your home dipstick results, new foamy urine, swelling, or other concerning symptoms, it is a good idea to reach out to your healthcare team, who can help you understand your test results and figure out the best path forward for your kidney health.

View all takeaways

A urine protein test is a simple but important way to check how well your kidneys are working. This is important for people with several conditions, including IgA nephropathy (IgAN), a form of chronic kidney disease (CKD). A urine protein test looks for proteinuria (protein in your urine). Having protein in your urine is often one of the first signs of kidney damage from IgAN or other kidney conditions.

Understanding your results can help you see how your kidneys are doing over time. It also helps your healthcare team know whether your current treatment is protecting your kidneys or if changes are necessary.

In this article, we’ll explain what a urine protein test measures, what counts as a normal or high protein level, and what you can expect when you give a urine sample.

🗳️ How often do you test your urine protein levels at home?

Weekly or more often

Monthly

Only during an illness or flare

I never test my urine for protein at home.

What a Urine Protein Test Measures

When the kidneys are healthy, they act like filters. They keep proteins, which are important building blocks in the body, in your bloodstream. At the same time, they get rid of extra water and waste products.

When kidneys become damaged, as happens when you have IgAN, protein can leak from the bloodstream into the urine. The urine test results give doctors an idea of how much protein is being lost in your urine.

Urine Dipstick

Dipsticks are quick tests that can estimate protein levels almost immediately using a color scale. A test strip is dipped into a urine sample to reveal how much protein is present on the following scale:

Negative (no protein)
Trace (an extremely small amount of protein)
1+ (30 milligrams per deciliter)
2+ (100 milligrams per deciliter)
3+ (300 milligrams per deciliter)
4+ (1,000 milligrams per deciliter)

Although a dipstick test is less accurate than a lab test, it’s a low-cost and quick way to monitor major changes in the amount of protein in your urine.

Total Protein

Total protein is one of the common indicators found in a urinalysis, or a basic urine test. This number is the total amount of protein in a urine sample. It tests for the overall amount of protein, but it doesn’t tell the difference between different types of protein.

This test is often used for an initial screening. If your total urine protein is elevated, your healthcare provider will likely order more specific tests to gather additional information.

Albumin

Albumin is the most common protein found in the blood. If the kidneys’ filters are damaged, albumin is often one of the first proteins to leak into the urine because there is so much of it and it’s relatively small in size. In IgAN, urine albumin levels may rise when kidney damage or disease activity worsens.

Your doctor may ask you to collect your urine for 24 hours to measure albumin (or total protein) over a full day. This helps smooth out normal changes that happen throughout the day and gives a more accurate picture of how much protein is leaking from your kidneys.

Protein/Creatinine Ratio

Creatinine is a waste product that your body makes at a steady rate. A test of your urine protein/creatinine ratio (UPCR) compares the amount of protein with the amount of creatinine in a single urine sample, which helps account for how concentrated the urine is. Comparing protein to creatinine helps doctors understand how much protein you’re losing throughout the day.

This test is helpful because it avoids the need for a full 24-hour urine collection test.

Albumin/Creatinine Ratio

Similar to the protein/creatinine ratio, a test of your urine albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR or uACR) specifically measures albumin loss compared to creatinine. It’s one of the most important tests for detecting early kidney damage, as albumin is usually the first protein to be seen in the urine in IgAN. This test is also critical for tracking kidney health over time.

Why Protein Testing Matters in IgA Nephropathy

IgAN damages the kidney’s filtering units, which are called glomeruli. When immunoglobulin A (IgA) builds up in these filters, it causes inflammation and makes them leaky. As a result, protein that should stay in the bloodstream can spill into the urine.

Tracking protein over time helps your care team:

Understand how active your IgAN is
Track changes in disease activity
See whether treatments like ACE inhibitors, ARBs, SGLT2 inhibitors, or targeted therapies are working
Adjust treatment before damage worsens
Predict your long-term kidney health

Lowering your urine protein levels is one of the most important goals in IgAN management.

What’s the Normal Range for Protein in Urine?

Understanding the healthy ranges for urine protein values can make your own chart results easier to follow.

Protein in Urine: Normal Range

On a dipstick, it’s normal to have negative or trace protein. Any result of 1+ or higher is abnormal. Total urine protein over 24 hours should be less than 150 milligrams per day.

The urine albumin/creatinine ratio should be less than 30 milligrams of albumin per gram of creatinine. A moderately elevated level would be between 30 and 300 milligrams per gram. More than 300 milligrams per gram is considered severely elevated.

These numbers help your care team understand how much protein your kidneys are losing and whether damage may be getting better or worse over time.

What High or Low Levels May Mean

Normal or low levels of protein in the urine usually mean that your kidneys are filtering well. If your urine protein is normal or low, it may be a sign that your treatment is helping, and your IgAN is more stable.

A uACR of 30 to 300 milligrams per gram is considered moderately elevated, while a level above 300 milligrams per gram is considered severely elevated. Higher uACR levels are associated with a greater risk of kidney disease complications.

What To Expect During Urine Testing

You may take a urine test at home, in your doctor’s office, at the hospital, or in the lab. Different types of tests provide different information.

One general rule is that you should avoid intense exercise the day before a protein test. Exercise may falsely elevate urine protein levels. Let your doctor know if you have a fever, menstrual bleeding, or a urinary tract infection at the time of your test, as these can also alter your test results.

Home Dipstick Testing

Some people with IgAN use home testing to monitor their protein level between checkups. During a dipstick test, you dip a test strip into your urine. Based on the levels of protein in your urine, the test strip changes color. By comparing the color to the scale on the bottle, you can estimate how elevated your urine protein is.

This test is fast and easy. It can help you track changes in your urine protein at home. However, dipsticks are less precise than lab tests and can’t measure exact amounts.

Clinic or Lab Urine Tests

You may give a sample during your visit or bring it to a lab. Lab testing provides exact numbers, like uACR or UPCR. With a 24-hour urine collection, you can see exactly how much protein you lose in a 24-hour period. Lab tests can confirm an abnormal dipstick result and provide a more precise measurement of the amount of protein in your urine.

Collecting a Urine Sample

A clean-catch urine sample helps reduce contamination that could affect your test results. To collect a clean-catch sample, follow these steps:

Wash your hands.
Clean the opening of the urethra before collecting the sample.
Begin urinating into the toilet.
Without stopping the stream, place the cup in the middle of the stream.
Remove the cup when a sufficient amount has been collected.
Finish urinating.
Close the lid tightly and clean the outside of the container.
Deliver the sample to the lab or clinic within the requested amount of time.

If you’re collecting from home, follow your doctor’s or lab’s instructions. They may ask you to refrigerate your sample or bring it back within a certain period of time.

How Often People With IgA Nephropathy Need Urine Tests

The frequency of urine tests to monitor your IgAN depends on specific advice from your nephrologist. How often you need a urine test is usually based on how active your IgAN is and what treatments you’re on.

If your condition is stable, you may only need urine testing every few months. If you have a newer diagnosis, are experiencing a flare, or have recently changed your medications, you may need these tests more often.

Many doctors use a combination of a urine test and a blood test at the same visit to get a more complete picture of how your kidneys are working.

When To Call Your Doctor

Some changes may mean it’s time to call your doctor. If you notice a sudden jump in your home dipstick results (such as trace to 2+ or higher), or notice a rising uACR or UPCR on your lab tests, talk to your doctor about how your IgAN is being managed.

If you notice a sudden jump in your home dipstick results or a rising uACR or UPCR on your lab tests, talk to your doctor about how your IgAN is being managed.

Symptoms to look out for that could signify protein being lost in the urine include:

New or worsening foamy or frothy urine
New or worsening high blood pressure
Swelling in the legs, feet, or around the eyes
Blood in the urine
New fatigue or shortness of breath

When you’re sick, dehydrated, or stressed, your protein levels may worsen. By communicating well with your healthcare team, you can ensure that you’re taking good care of your kidneys and overall health.

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