Rapid, automated measurements of urinary protein and glucose concentrations

Procedures are described for the quantitative determination of urinary protein and glucose concentrations using assay methodologies that are readily automated. Glucose was measured by the hexokinase method and protein by interaction with the dye Coomassie Brilliant Blue G-250. Both assays can be performed with a centrifugal analyzer. The linear range for the glucose assay was 10-500 mg/dl, encompassing the normal range of 10-30 mg/dl for glucose in rat urine. The linear range for the protein assay was 5-45 mg/dl, necessitating dilution of the urine (normal range for rats of 100-400 mg/dl) by a factor of 10. As with many other protein assay methodologies, response to gamma globulins was less than that to albumin. The procedures described herein require only minute quantities (5-10 microliters) of sample and are sufficiently simple and rapid to be used as screening procedures. Moreover, they provide quantitative results and are more sensitive than many of the more commonly used diagnostic tests for urine protein and glucose.