What is the term for the abnormal presence of protein in the urine, which may indicate kidney dysfunction?

The term for the abnormal presence of protein in the urine is proteinuria. This condition can indicate potential kidney dysfunction or damage, as healthy kidneys typically prevent significant amounts of protein from passing into the urine. The presence of protein in urine can result from various issues, including glomerular diseases, high blood pressure, or diabetes, which can affect the kidneys' filtering capability.

Understanding proteinuria is important in medical diagnostics, as it can serve as an early warning sign of kidney problems and guide further investigation and treatment. In contrast, hematuria refers to the presence of blood in urine, glycosuria involves glucose in urine, and aciduria is related to an abnormal acidity in urine. Each of these terms describes different conditions that do not specifically indicate the presence of protein as proteinuria does.