BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuUrine protein electrophoresis testUrine protein electrophoresis; UPEP; Multiple myeloma - UPEP; Waldenström macroglobulinemia - UPEP; Amyloidosis - UPEP The urine protein electrophoresis (UPEP) test is used to estimate how much of certain proteins are in the urine. How the Test is Performed A clean-catch urine sample is needed. The clean-catch method is used to prevent germs from the penis or vagina from getting into a urine sample. To collect your urine, the health care provider may give you a special clean-catch kit that contains a cleansing solution and sterile wipes. Follow the instructions exactly.Clean-catch urine sampleA clean catch is a method of collecting a urine sample to be tested. The clean-catch urine method is used to prevent germs from the penis or vagina ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article After you provide a urine sample, it is sent to the laboratory. There, the laboratory specialist will place the urine sample on special paper and apply an electric current. The proteins move and form visible bands. These reveal the general amounts of each protein. How to Prepare for the Test Your provider may tell you to stop taking certain medicines that could interfere with the test. Medicines that can affect test results include:Chlorpromazine Corticosteroids Isoniazid Neomycin Phenacemide Salicylates Sulfonamides Tolbutamide Do not stop taking any medicine without first talking to your provider. How the Test will Feel This test involves only normal urination. There is no discomfort. Why the Test is Performed Normally there is no protein, or only a small amount of protein in the urine. An abnormally high amount of protein in the urine can be a sign of many different disorders.UPEP may be recommended to help determine the cause of protein in the urine. Or it may be done as a screening test to measure the various amounts of different types of proteins in urine. UPEP detects 2 types of protein: albumin and globulins. Normal Results No significant amount of globulins are found in the urine. Urine albumin is less than 5 mg/dL.Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different specimens. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results. What Abnormal Results Mean If the urine sample has a significant amount of globulins or higher than normal level of albumin, it may mean any of the following:Acute inflammation AcuteAcute means sudden. Acute symptoms appear, change, or worsen rapidly. It is the opposite of chronic.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Abnormal protein buildup in tissues and organs (amyloidosis) AmyloidosisPrimary amyloidosis is a rare disorder in which abnormal proteins build up in tissues and organs. Clumps of the abnormal proteins are called amyloid...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Decreased kidney function Kidney disease due to diabetes (diabetic nephropathy) Diabetic nephropathyKidney disease or kidney damage often occurs over time in people with diabetes. This type of kidney disease is called diabetic nephropathy.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Kidney failure Kidney failureAcute kidney failure is the rapid (less than 2 days) loss of your kidneys' ability to remove waste and help balance fluids and electrolytes in your b...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article A type of blood cancer called multiple myeloma Multiple myelomaMultiple myeloma is a blood cancer that starts in the plasma cells in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is the soft, spongy tissue found inside most bone...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Group of symptoms that include protein in the urine, low protein level in the blood, swelling (nephrotic syndrome) Nephrotic syndromeNephrotic syndrome is a group of symptoms and abnormal test results that include protein in the urine, low blood protein levels in the blood, high ch...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Acute urinary tract infectionUrinary tract infectionA urinary tract infection, or UTI, is an infection of the urinary tract. The infection can occur at different points in the urinary tract, including...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Risks There are no risks with this test.Open ReferencesReferencesChernecky CC, Berger BJ. Protein electrophoresis - urine. In: Chernecky CC, Berger BJ, eds. Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures. 6th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier Saunders; 2013:920-922.McPherson RA. Specific proteins. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 20.Rajkumar SV, Dispenzieri A. Multiple myeloma and related disorders. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Kastan MB, Doroshow JH, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 101.AllVideoImagesTogMale urinary system - illustration The urinary system is made up of the kidneys, ureters, urethra and bladder.Male urinary systemillustrationMale urinary system - illustration The urinary system is made up of the kidneys, ureters, urethra and bladder.Male urinary systemillustration Tests for Urine protein electrophoresis test Urine protein electrophoresis testUrine chemistryImmunoelectrophoresis - urineQuantitative Bence-Jones protein testRelated Information Protein in diet(Nutrition)Immunoelectrophoresis - urine(Medical Test)Immunofixation - urine(Medical Test)Urine protein dipstick test(Medical Test)Acute kidney failure(Condition)Diabetes and kidney disease(Condition)Acute(Special Topic)Nephrotic syndrome(Condition)Urinary tract infection - adults(Condition)Multiple myeloma(Condition)Urinary tract infection - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 4/29/2022 Reviewed By: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. 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Urine protein electrophoresis testUrine protein electrophoresis; UPEP; Multiple myeloma - UPEP; Waldenström macroglobulinemia - UPEP; Amyloidosis - UPEP The urine protein electrophoresis (UPEP) test is used to estimate how much of certain proteins are in the urine. How the Test is Performed A clean-catch urine sample is needed. The clean-catch method is used to prevent germs from the penis or vagina from getting into a urine sample. To collect your urine, the health care provider may give you a special clean-catch kit that contains a cleansing solution and sterile wipes. Follow the instructions exactly.Clean-catch urine sampleA clean catch is a method of collecting a urine sample to be tested. The clean-catch urine method is used to prevent germs from the penis or vagina ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article After you provide a urine sample, it is sent to the laboratory. There, the laboratory specialist will place the urine sample on special paper and apply an electric current. The proteins move and form visible bands. These reveal the general amounts of each protein. How to Prepare for the Test Your provider may tell you to stop taking certain medicines that could interfere with the test. Medicines that can affect test results include:Chlorpromazine Corticosteroids Isoniazid Neomycin Phenacemide Salicylates Sulfonamides Tolbutamide Do not stop taking any medicine without first talking to your provider. How the Test will Feel This test involves only normal urination. There is no discomfort. Why the Test is Performed Normally there is no protein, or only a small amount of protein in the urine. An abnormally high amount of protein in the urine can be a sign of many different disorders.UPEP may be recommended to help determine the cause of protein in the urine. Or it may be done as a screening test to measure the various amounts of different types of proteins in urine. UPEP detects 2 types of protein: albumin and globulins. Normal Results No significant amount of globulins are found in the urine. Urine albumin is less than 5 mg/dL.Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different specimens. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results. What Abnormal Results Mean If the urine sample has a significant amount of globulins or higher than normal level of albumin, it may mean any of the following:Acute inflammation AcuteAcute means sudden. Acute symptoms appear, change, or worsen rapidly. It is the opposite of chronic.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Abnormal protein buildup in tissues and organs (amyloidosis) AmyloidosisPrimary amyloidosis is a rare disorder in which abnormal proteins build up in tissues and organs. Clumps of the abnormal proteins are called amyloid...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Decreased kidney function Kidney disease due to diabetes (diabetic nephropathy) Diabetic nephropathyKidney disease or kidney damage often occurs over time in people with diabetes. This type of kidney disease is called diabetic nephropathy.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Kidney failure Kidney failureAcute kidney failure is the rapid (less than 2 days) loss of your kidneys' ability to remove waste and help balance fluids and electrolytes in your b...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article A type of blood cancer called multiple myeloma Multiple myelomaMultiple myeloma is a blood cancer that starts in the plasma cells in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is the soft, spongy tissue found inside most bone...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Group of symptoms that include protein in the urine, low protein level in the blood, swelling (nephrotic syndrome) Nephrotic syndromeNephrotic syndrome is a group of symptoms and abnormal test results that include protein in the urine, low blood protein levels in the blood, high ch...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Acute urinary tract infectionUrinary tract infectionA urinary tract infection, or UTI, is an infection of the urinary tract. The infection can occur at different points in the urinary tract, including...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Risks There are no risks with this test.Open ReferencesReferencesChernecky CC, Berger BJ. Protein electrophoresis - urine. In: Chernecky CC, Berger BJ, eds. Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures. 6th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier Saunders; 2013:920-922.McPherson RA. Specific proteins. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 20.Rajkumar SV, Dispenzieri A. Multiple myeloma and related disorders. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Kastan MB, Doroshow JH, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 101.