CHARACTERISTICS OF URINE
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Urinalysis
1. Physical characteristics: color, odor,
turbidity, volume, & specific gravity
2. Chemical characteristics: pH, glucose,
protein, ketones, pus (WBC’s &
bacteria), RBC’s, hemoglobin, bile . . .
3. Microscopic exam of urine sediment:
crystals, cells, etc.
Why is urinalysis an important
part of routine patient exams?
• Urine contains important metabolic
information & the presence of abnormal
substances is helpful in disease
diagnosis
• Urine is cheap, simple, & readily
available
Odor
• Fresh urine has a slight characteristic
odor but drugs such as nicotine,
veggies such as asparagus, & diseases
such as PKU or diabetes can alter odor
Standing (“old”) urine takes on an
ammonia odor due to bacterial action on
urine solutes
List the three main organic
solutes of urine
• Urea, creatinine, & uric acid
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List the three main inorganic
solutes of urine
• Sodium, potassium, & chloride
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State the average daily urine
output
• 1200 - 1500 mL (1.2 - 1.5 L)
State the normal daily range
of urine output
• 600 - 2000 mL (0.6 - 2.0 L)
Define the following terms:
• Anuria - complete stoppage of urine
• Oliguria - reduced amount of urine
• Polyuria - increased amount of urine
• Nocturia - increased amount of urine @
night
Describe the different types of
urine specimens used in a
medical lab
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Random
1st morning
Mid-stream clean catch (MSCC)
Fasting
24 hour
List the normal colors of urine
• Any shade of yellow due to the pigment
urochrome: light yellow, yellow, dark
yellow, amber . . .
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List abnormal colors of urine
& possible causes
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Colorless - XS fluid intake; diabetes
Orange - bilirubin, XS Vitamin A
Green - bile, Pseudomonas bacteria
Red/Brown - hemoglobin, beets
Black - melanins
Any abnormal color can be due to dyes,
foods, or medications
State the term used to describe
urine appearance
• Turbidity - “cloudiness” due to
particulate matter
suspended in urine
Clear, transparent, hazy, cloudy,
turbid, milky, or 0 - 4+ system
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Identify several factors that
may affect urine appearance
• Crystals, WBC’s, RBC’s, bacteria,
epithelial cells, lipids, mucus, fecal
material, semen, lymph fluid, yeast,
powders, creams, cotton fibers, etc.
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Define specific
gravity
• Density of a substance
compared to an equal
volume of water at a
similar temperature
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Describe a urinometer & the
procedure for using it to
determine s.g. of urine
• A device that displaces water and sinks
to a level indicative of the specific
gravity
• Pour urine in jar, place urinometer in
fluid, spin & when it settles, read the
results
State the normal range of
specific gravity for human
urine
• 1.001 - 1.035
Explain the significance of a
specific gravity of 1.023 1.035
• Normal; 1.023 or above indicates good
kidney function
List 4 common reasons for
abnormally high specific
gravity results
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Presence of glucose
Presence of protein
Recent X-ray exposure
Use of IV’s
Dehydrating illnesses - fever, sweat,
vomit, diarrhea
List possible reasons for
abnormally low specific gravity
results
• Diabetes insipidus (water diabetes)
• Renal (kidney) disease/damage
Chemical Tests for Urine - pH
Average Range: 4.5 - 8.0
Average: 6.0
Affected by diet & changes in body metabolism
Acidic urine: -high protein diet or lots of
whole wheat = acid forming
foods
-diabetes
Alkaline urine: -high veggie or dairy diet = base
forming foods
-UTI
Either: medications, kidney stones (renal calculi)
Chemical Tests for Urine Glucose (glycosuria)
• Benign: -heavy meal
-emotional stress
• Pathologic: -diabetes mellitus
-kidney tubule defects
-CNS damage
-thyroid disorders
Chemical Tests for Urine Protein (proteinuria)
• Benign: -cold
-strenuous exercise
-acute illness (fever)
-orthostatic proteinuria
• Pathologic: -*kidney damage*
-pre-eclampsia
-hypertension
-multiple myeloma
Chemical Tests for Urine - Pus
(Pyuria)
• UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) or
contaminated specimen
• High Risk for UTI:
-School age children esp. girls
-pregnant women
-diabetic people
-previous history of UTI’s
-patients with catheters
-elderly people
Chemical Tests for Urine RBC’s (Hematuria)
• Whole blood = cloudy red
• Bleeding in the urinary tract
-trauma (ex: auto accident, kick)
-kidney stones (renal calculi)
-kidney infection (pyelonephritis)
-tumors
-toxic chemicals/drugs
Chemical Tests for Urine Hemoglobin (hemoglobinuria)
• Hemoglobin = clear, red appearance
-hemolytic anemia
-transfusion reactions
-severe burns
Chemical Tests for Urine - Bile
(bilirubinuria)
-hepatitis/liver disease
Chemical Tests for Urine Ketones (ketonuria)
• Source: breakdown of fats instead of
carbohydrates for energy
-diabetes
-starvation (decreased carbohydrate
intake or increase carbohydrate loss vomiting)
-wrong dose of insulin
End.
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