Proteinuria Correlates with Rate of Renal Decline.

In a JASN study of 638,150 adults, heavy proteinuria and a baseline eGFR of 45 mL/min/1.73 m² to 59.9 mL/min/1.73 m² correlated with a change in eGFR of −2.16 per year in men, while mild proteinuria and a baseline eGFR of 30 to 44.9 correlated with a change in eGFR of −0.51 per year. Similar trends were observed for female, elderly, and diabetic patients. Normal protein levels and a lower baseline eGFR correlated with stable or improved kidney function. The results suggest that proteinuria of increasing severity is associated with a faster rate of renal decline, regardless of baseline eGFR.