WHAT IS URINALYSIS?
A urinalysis is a test of your urine. A urinalysis is used to detect and manage a wide range of disorders, such as urinary tract infections, kidney disease, and diabetes. Most people will have already given a urine sample at some point in their lives. A sample can be analyzed using a number of different tests. These tests can help doctors diagnose certain diseases or to monitor their progress.
 |
| urinalysis |
Urinalysis (UA) simply means analysis of urine. This is a very commonly ordered test and Urinalysis is a simple test that can provide important health information, has a quick turn-around time. A urinalysis test is performed by collecting a urine sample from the patient in a specimen cup. Usually, only small amounts (30-60 mL) may be required for urinalysis testing. It is a group of physical, chemical, and microscopic tests and these tests are detect and measure several substances like byproducts of normal and abnormal metabolism, cells, cellular fragments, and bacteria.
URINE TEST CAN INCLUDE THREE PARTS
- Visual Exam: In this examination, the doctor can check color and clarity of your urine. if the color of the urine is reddish or dark brownish which can indicate blood in your urine. it means something serious about your health condition. if your urine has foam, so it is the sign of a kidney disease and cloudy urine indicate urine infection.
color match urine test
- Microscopic Exam: This test looks at a sample of your urine under a microscope. It can see cells from your urinary tract, blood cells, crystals, bacteria, parasites, and cells from tumors. This test is often used to confirm the findings of other tests or add information to a diagnosis.
Microscopic test
- White blood cells (leukocytes)- may be a sign of an infection.
- Red blood cells (erythrocytes)- may be a sign of kidney disease, a blood disorder or another underlying medical condition, such as bladder cancer.
- Bacteria or yeasts may indicate an infection.
- Casts - tube-shaped proteins - may form as a result of kidney disorders.
- Crystals that form from chemicals in urine may be a sign of kidney stones.
- Dipstick Test: The third part of urinalysis is the dipstick test, which uses a thin plastic strip treated with chemicals. It's dipped into your urine, and the chemicals on the stick react and change color if levels are above normal. Things the dipstick test can check for includes Acidity or ph.
 |
| Dipstick test |
- Acidity (pH)- The pH level indicates the amount of acid in urine. Abnormal pH levels may indicate a kidney or urinary tract disorder.
- Concentration- A measure of concentration, or specific gravity, shows how concentrated particles are in your urine. A higher than normal concentration often is a result of not drinking enough fluids.
- Protein- Low levels of protein in urine are normal. Small increases in protein in urine usually aren't a cause for concern, but larger amounts may indicate a kidney problem.
- Sugar- Normally the amount of sugar (glucose) in urine is too low to be detected. Any detection of sugar on this test usually calls for follow-up testing for diabetes.
- Ketones- As with sugar, any amount of ketones detected in your urine could be a sign of diabetes and requires follow-up testing.
- Bilirubin- Bilirubin is a product of red blood cell breakdown. Normally, bilirubin is carried in the blood and passes into your liver, where it's removed and becomes part of bile. Bilirubin in your urine may indicate liver damage or disease.
- Evidence of infection- If either nitrites or leukocyte esterase — a product of white blood cells — is detected in your urine, it may be a sign of a urinary tract infection.
- Blood- Blood in your urine requires additional testing — it may be a sign of kidney damage, infection, kidney or bladder stones, kidney or bladder cancer, or blood disorders.
URINE TESTS USED FOR
Urine can be tested for many different things and doctors recommend for a number of reasons, including the following:
 |
| pregnancy test |
- Pregnancy confirmation
- Urine infection
- Diabetes
- Bladder cancer
- Sexually transmitted infection
- Kidney function
- Blood in the urine
- Heart conditions
About Urinalysis Process
To get a clear reading, it’s important not to contaminate the urine sample. When collecting a urine sample:
- make sure you clean your genital area before taking the sample.
- make sure the container does not touch your genitals during collection.
- take the sample from the middle of the urine stream; that is, not at the start or finish of urination (some urine tests, such as pregnancy tests, may require urine from the beginning of the stream).
- tell the doctor or nurse about any drugs or medications you are taking as they may affect the results.
Urinalysis Normal Report
A normal urinalysis does not guarantee that there is no illness. Some people will not release elevated amounts of a substance early in a disease process, and some will release them sporadically during the day, which means that they may be missed by a single urine sample. In very dilute urine, small quantities of chemicals may be undetectable.
| Urinanalysis Parameter | Normal Values |
| Aspect |
Clear
|
| Colour |
Pale yellow-yellow
|
| Odour | Atypical |
| Reaction (pH) | Acid (5,5-6) |
| Acid | No |
| Specific gravity | 1010-1030 |
| Leukocyte esterase |
Negative
|
| Nitrites | Negative |
| Protein | Negative or traces (< 30 mg/dl) |
| Glucose | Negative |
| Ketones | Negative |
| Hemoglobin | Negative |
| Bilirubin | Negative |
| Urobilinogen | Negative or traces (< 0,2 EU/dl ή <1 mg/dl) |
| Epithelial cells | 0-4 p.v.f. |
| Erythrocytes | 0-4 p.v.f. |
| Pus cells | 0-4 p.v.f. |
| Casts | 0-2 hyaline |
| Germs- fungi |
None
|
| Crystals | No abnormal crystals present |
| Amorphous salts | A few |
| Mucus | No, some |
| Lipid droplets | None |
