Diagnostic significance of urinary enzymes in nephrology

The study of urinary excretion of some enzymes is a sensitive test for the detection of early stages of renal disease. The first part of this review describe the sources of urinary enzymes and discuss the preanalytical and analytical problems with estimation of enzymatic activities in the urine, mainly the problem of quantitative expression of excretion of urinary enzymes. After the description of main characteristics of diagnostically most important enzymes excreted in the urine the diagnostic validity of the measurement of urinary enzyme activities in patients with inflammatory renal diseases, kidney damage due to nephrotoxic substances, diabetic nephropathy and in early detection of the complications after kidney transplantation is discussed. (Ref. 25.).