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Urine Test and Collection Procedure
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PROCEDURE FOR URINE TEST AND COLLECTION
Dr Ira Shah
Consultant Pediatrician - B.J.Wadia Hospital for Children
Editor - Pediatric Oncall
Why is urine test required ?
Urine is created by the kidneys. Kidneys remove water and various other waste products from the blood and form urine to discard the various wastes of the body. Thus kidneys purify the blood in this manner. Urine test thus helps to identify problems in the kidney functions, infections in the urine tract and various other problems in the blood stream.
What are the various aspects checked in a urine examination ?
Urine examination involves checking the following:
pH :- To look for acidifying function of the kidney. [Kidneys excrete hydrogen and bicarbonate ions in the urine to maintain pH of the blood]
Specific gravity = To look for concentrating and diluting power of the kidneys. [Kidneys tend to excrete more water if there is more water in the body thus causing dilute urine. If kidneys do not function in this manner, than water will accumulate in the body. Also if urine contains more salts then kidneys will excrete more water to prevent crystallization of these minerals to prevent stones. In case of dehydration, kidneys conserve water and thus urine excreted will be concentrated. In case of a condition called diabetes insipidus, kidneys are not able to concentrate urine.
Cells :- Normally very few pus cells, red cells and epithelial cells are present in urine. Presence of many pus cells may suggest infection in the urine, presence of red cells may be seen with stones or kidney inflammation (glomerulonephritis) and epithelial cells may suggest a chronic kidney problem.
Casts :- These are outer coatings of cells in the urinary tract. There may be several types of casts seen in various diseases such as waxy casts may be seen with nephrotic syndrome, pus cell casts may be seen with infection.
Albumin :- Albumin is a protein present in the blood stream. Normally very little albumin is excreted in the urine. Presence of albumin in urine may suggest nephritic syndrome.
Sugar :- Normally no sugar is present in urine. Presence of sugar may be seen with diabetes mellitus, renal tubular acidosis (RTA) and a liver disease called galactosemia.
Ketones :- Normally no ketones are present in urine. Presence of ketones may occur with diabetes mellitus, starvation or other causes that cause low blood sugar.
Special tests :- Sometimes special tests may be done on a urine sample such as urine electrolytes to look for conditions such as salt wasting and renal tubular acidosis (RTA) .
Urine culture :- When an infection in the urine is suspected, urine is tested for bacteria. Urine is cultured and growth of bacteria is checked for. If more than 105 colonies of bacteria grow it suggests infection.
Urine crystals :- In case of stones, urine may be checked for crystals. Also urine calcium, oxalate and uric acid content may be checked for to look for the type of stone.
Bile salts & bile pigments :- Bile salts and bile pigments are checked in a patient with jaundice and presence of bile salts and bile pigments suggest a liver disease.
Colour of urine :- Normally urine is white or pale yellow in colour. Various other colors may be seen in various conditions such as:
- Dark yellow colour: With jaundice, ingestion of multivitamins
- Brown colour: In oxaluria
- Red colour: Bright red colour may be seen with bleed or stones. Coca-cola colour may be seen with glomerulonephritis
- Pink colour: May be seen with phenolphthalein ingestion or with hemoglobin in urine.
- Orange colour: Seen with ingestion of rifampicin (a drug used for treating tuberculosis).
Consultant Pediatrician - B.J.Wadia Hospital for Children
Editor - Pediatric Oncall
Why is urine test required ?
Urine is created by the kidneys. Kidneys remove water and various other waste products from the blood and form urine to discard the various wastes of the body. Thus kidneys purify the blood in this manner. Urine test thus helps to identify problems in the kidney functions, infections in the urine tract and various other problems in the blood stream.
What are the various aspects checked in a urine examination ?
Urine examination involves checking the following:
pH :- To look for acidifying function of the kidney. [Kidneys excrete hydrogen and bicarbonate ions in the urine to maintain pH of the blood]
Specific gravity = To look for concentrating and diluting power of the kidneys. [Kidneys tend to excrete more water if there is more water in the body thus causing dilute urine. If kidneys do not function in this manner, than water will accumulate in the body. Also if urine contains more salts then kidneys will excrete more water to prevent crystallization of these minerals to prevent stones. In case of dehydration, kidneys conserve water and thus urine excreted will be concentrated. In case of a condition called diabetes insipidus, kidneys are not able to concentrate urine.
Cells :- Normally very few pus cells, red cells and epithelial cells are present in urine. Presence of many pus cells may suggest infection in the urine, presence of red cells may be seen with stones or kidney inflammation (glomerulonephritis) and epithelial cells may suggest a chronic kidney problem.
Casts :- These are outer coatings of cells in the urinary tract. There may be several types of casts seen in various diseases such as waxy casts may be seen with nephrotic syndrome, pus cell casts may be seen with infection.
Albumin :- Albumin is a protein present in the blood stream. Normally very little albumin is excreted in the urine. Presence of albumin in urine may suggest nephritic syndrome.
Sugar :- Normally no sugar is present in urine. Presence of sugar may be seen with diabetes mellitus, renal tubular acidosis (RTA) and a liver disease called galactosemia.
Ketones :- Normally no ketones are present in urine. Presence of ketones may occur with diabetes mellitus, starvation or other causes that cause low blood sugar.
Special tests :- Sometimes special tests may be done on a urine sample such as urine electrolytes to look for conditions such as salt wasting and renal tubular acidosis (RTA) .
Urine culture :- When an infection in the urine is suspected, urine is tested for bacteria. Urine is cultured and growth of bacteria is checked for. If more than 105 colonies of bacteria grow it suggests infection.
Urine crystals :- In case of stones, urine may be checked for crystals. Also urine calcium, oxalate and uric acid content may be checked for to look for the type of stone.
Bile salts & bile pigments :- Bile salts and bile pigments are checked in a patient with jaundice and presence of bile salts and bile pigments suggest a liver disease.
Colour of urine :- Normally urine is white or pale yellow in colour. Various other colors may be seen in various conditions such as:
- Dark yellow colour: With jaundice, ingestion of multivitamins
- Brown colour: In oxaluria
- Red colour: Bright red colour may be seen with bleed or stones. Coca-cola colour may be seen with glomerulonephritis
- Pink colour: May be seen with phenolphthalein ingestion or with hemoglobin in urine.
- Orange colour: Seen with ingestion of rifampicin (a drug used for treating tuberculosis).
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