Chemical Urinalysis

Urinalysis Normal Values

Urinalysis is a complete examination of urine sample for health objectives. Educate yourself about the urinalysis normal values, so that you can read urine test reports on your own. Read on to know more.

Urine test is performed for several health goals, may be as a routine checkup procedure, for confirmation of pregnancy or as a diagnostic test for diseases. Like for instance, urine test is a reliable method for detection of diabetes and confirmation of urinary tract infection (UTI). The fact is that urinalysis test results reveal certain things about the overall health of the candidate. As with any type of test, standard urinalysis values are put forth for easy reference.

Urinalysis Normal Values and Interpretation

If you have undergone a urine test before, you might be aware about the preparatory steps and urinalysis interpretation. Most likely, the doctor will ask for urine sample collection in a sterile bottle in the first morning. The bottle containing urine sample is labeled properly with your name and details, after which it is sent to the laboratory for testing. Urinalysis is done in three steps, viz. visual examination, chemical examination and microscopic examination. The details of the test along with the normal values are discussed below.

Visual Urine Examination

This is the first step performed in urine test. The sample is simply analyzed visually to check the urine color and odor. A near transparent or yellowish colored urine signifies normal conditions. While cloudy, turbid or strong urine odor are signs of urine tract infections. Urine sample with reddish coloration can be because of hematuria (blood cells in urine) or eating red colored foods (blackberry and fresh beet).

Chemical Urinalysis

The chemical testing of urine is done with the help of a plastic stick (dipstick) that is already loaded with chemical solutions. Upon reacting with the urine components, the colors of the dipstick may change, which is indicated as abnormal urinalysis results. The parameters tested by dipstick method and their normal values are given below.

Urine pH

Urine pH value is a measure of acidity of the sample, and the ideal value is around 6. But, it may range from as low as 4.5 to as high as 8. Fluctuation in acidity levels may indicate infections.

Specific Gravity

Concentration of urine or urine specific gravity that falls between 1.002 and 1.035 (for random sample) is considered normal. Very low concentration reveals dilute urine, while high value signifies dehydration.

Protein

For a healthy person, urine protein is present in a very less amount and is rarely detected. Presence of protein in very low concentration, say 10 mg/100 ml or 150 mg/day is normal. Higher protein levels than this is a sign of proteinuria.

Glucose

Coming to sugar content in urine, the amount should be less than 0.1 percent of the total urine volume, or in other words, less than 130 mg/day. A higher sugar value should not be neglected, as it may indicate diabetes mellitus.

Ketones

Urine sample collected from a healthy person is devoid of ketones. These are a group of compounds (acetone, beta-hydroxybutyric acid) secreted by the body, when there is a deprivation of simple glucose. This is observed amongst diabetic patients and people who are on a low carb diet.

Leukocyte Esterase

Leukocyte esterase is released as a byproduct of white blood cells (WBCs). While negative test result for the same reveals less chances of infection, a positive result is a warning sign for elevated production of WBCs and urinary tract infections.

Nitrites

In an ideal case, the test for nitrites in urine comes out negative. In case of positive urinalysis results, further tests and urine culture are conducted for presence of gram negative, rod shaped bacteria.

Date: 2016-06-13; view: 6