4 Simple Tests That Can Detect Kidney Disease Early and Save Your Life

Your kidneys are among the most remarkable organs that work tirelessly, filtering waste and excess fluid from your blood all the time. Yet chronic kidney disease is often known as a 'silent killer' because it progresses for years without obvious symptoms. By the time most people notice something is wrong, significant and often irreversible damage has already occurred. So, it is important to understand how to detect kidney problems early through simple tests. According to statistics across the world, at present, around 13.4 per cent of the world's population, which is more than 800 million people, suffer from chronic kidney disease, with nearly 850 million having some form of kidney disease. “Main drivers include diabetes, especially Type 2,

and hypertension, along with major obesity, ageing and recurrent infections,” Dr Naveen Reddy, consultant nephrologist, Asian Institute of Nephrology and Urology, told Times Now. Dr Reddy says since kidney diseases have no particular symptoms, the signs can be observed only by a qualified doctor. Hence, it is difficult for kidney diseases to be found out early and easily unless we do certain tests. A few simple yet important tests for early kidney disease detection include:

Blood Test eGFR/creatinine

“This test checks waste filtration like creatinine/eGFR - a urine test for protein, especially albumin creatinine ratio with complete urine examination as well,” said Dr Reddy. This test estimates your Glomerular Filtration Rate, which indicates how well your kidneys filter blood; an eGFR of 90+ is normal, while lower numbers suggest kidney disease.

Urine Test Microalbumin/ACR

This test checks for albumin - a type of protein in your urine. It is best to send the early morning second sample to avoid errors. Protein in urine is an early sign of kidney damage, as healthy kidneys don't let much through. The test is done especially in people with diabetes or high blood pressure, by measuring small amounts of the protein albumin in urine, which healthy kidneys normally filter out. A high ratio (above 30 mg/g) signals kidney disease, even before symptoms, and repeated elevated results over months confirm the diagnosis, allowing for early treatment to prevent progression to kidney failure.

Complete urine examination

A Complete Urine Examination, also known as urinalysis, finds kidney disease by checking for protein, blood, and glucose and creatinine levels along with microscopic signs like bacteria or cells - using visual, dipstick, and microscopic tests to spot damage, infections, or issues with kidney filtration, often via a midstream sample. Main indicators are protein leakage and the albumin-to-creatinine ratio for early damage, alongside signs of infection or kidney stones.

Ultrasound

An ultrasound of your abdomen is an easily available test with no contraindications or adverse effects, so it is suitable for all. “This simple yet informative test gives insight into kidney structure, obstructions in the kidneys, kidney infection, etc,” said Dr Reddy. These details will be added to support the diagnosis of kidney diseases These simple tests are quick, often painless, and can catch problems early, preventing progression to severe kidney disease.