Urine Testing Recommended to Aid Early Detection of Kidney Inflammation

Jakarta — The chairman of the Indonesia Nephrology Association’s executive board, Dr. Pringgodigdo Nugroho, has recommended the importance of urine tests, particularly for young people, to enable early detection of kidney inflammation or glomerulonefritis.

At a media gathering in Jakarta on Wednesday (11 March), Pringgodigdo stated that kidney inflammation is a disease that frequently occurs in younger age groups. The condition often produces no initial symptoms but can typically be detected through urine examination.

“Many young people already have kidney failure, mostly because of kidney inflammation, because they never had their urine tested. It can only be detected through examination, as there are no symptoms,” said Pringgodigdo.

Pringgodigdo explained that urine may contain red blood cells (erythrocytes) or albumin, which should normally be absent. One frequently overlooked sign is foamy urine.

Foamy urine can indicate albumin leakage in the urine at sufficiently high levels. “When urine is already foamy and discoloured, that indicates high levels of leakage. Usually reddish colouration is due to blood. Blood can come from the kidney itself or from the urinary tract. If it comes from the kidney, it is because of the inflammation,” he explained.

The doctor, who completed his specialist training in Internal Medicine at the University of Indonesia, emphasised the importance of healthy lifestyle practices and regular health check-ups to prevent kidney disease.

“If there are no symptoms, at minimum you should have a check-up once a year,” he added.

Pringgodigdo further stressed the importance of paying attention to dietary patterns, particularly among young people, in preventing kidney disease. He noted that one major risk factor for kidney disease is high consumption of foods that can trigger obesity.

“That should be avoided. For example, consuming sugary foods has high calories. This can indirectly lead to diabetes as well,” he said.

High consumption of instant foods with excessive salt can trigger hypertension or sustained high blood pressure, which can become a risk factor for kidney disease.

Beyond dietary habits, sedentary lifestyles or lack of physical activity also increase the risk of kidney disease. “Nowadays, people take motorcycles everywhere, even to nearby places, when they could walk. Walking helps burn calories,” he added.