Proteins are not normally found in the urine. When the kidneys are functioning normally, they retain or reabsorb filtered proteins and return them to the blood. However, if the kidneys are damaged, they become less effective at filtering, and detectible amounts of protein begin to find their way into the urine. Often, it is the smaller albumin molecules that are detected first. If the damage continues, the amount of protein in the urine increases, and globulins may also begin to be lost. Urine protein testing is used to detect protein in the urine, to help evaluate and monitor kidney function, and to help detect and diagnose early kidney damage and disease. INCREASING amounts of protein in the urine reflects increasing kidney damage. With early kidney damage, the patient is often asymptomatic. As damage progresses, or if protein loss is severe, the patient may have symptoms such as edema, shortness of breath, nausea, and fatigue. Excess protein production leads to proteinuria. Proteinuria is frequently seen in diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, amyloidosis, congestive heart failure, bladder cancer, multiple myeloma, systemic lupus erythematosus, urinary tract infection, and drug therapies that are potentially toxic to the kidneys. See Protein, Total, Serum