Urine Routine: Understanding Your Urinalysis Results

What is a Urinalysis (Urine Routine)?

A urinalysis (also called urine routine) is a test of urine examining physical, chemical, and microscopic properties. It's one of the most common tests, useful for detecting urinary tract infections, kidney disease, diabetes, and other metabolic conditions. The test is simple, quick, and provides valuable diagnostic information.

Components of Urinalysis

1. Physical Examination

Assesses urine color, clarity, and odor. Normal urine is pale to dark yellow and clear. Cloudy urine may indicate infection or precipitation of crystals. Abnormal colors can suggest medications, disease, or specific metabolic disorders.

2. Chemical Testing

• ✓ pH: Normal 4.5-8.0. Abnormal pH suggests infection or metabolic disorders
• ✓ Specific Gravity: Indicates urine concentration. Normal 1.005-1.025
• ✓ Protein: Absence is normal. Presence suggests kidney disease
• ✓ Glucose: Should be absent. Presence suggests diabetes
• ✓ Ketones: Absence is normal. Presence suggests metabolic disorders or starvation
• ✓ Blood: Should be absent. Presence suggests kidney stones, infections, or disease
• ✓ Leukocyte Esterase: Absence normal. Presence suggests infection
• ✓ Nitrites: Should be absent. Presence indicates bacterial infection
• ✓ Bilirubin: Absence normal. Presence suggests liver disease

3. Microscopic Examination

Examines urine sediment under microscope for cells, casts, bacteria, and crystals. Normal findings include rare WBCs, few RBCs, and occasional crystals. Abnormalities suggest infections, kidney disease, or other urologic conditions.

Common Abnormal Results

• ✓ Protein in Urine (Proteinuria): Indicates kidney disease
• ✓ Glucose in Urine (Glycosuria): Suggests uncontrolled diabetes
• ✓ Blood in Urine (Hematuria): May indicate infection, stones, or disease
• ✓ White Blood Cells and Bacteria: Indicate urinary tract infection
• ✓ Casts: Suggest kidney disease or dehydration
• ✓ Crystals: May indicate kidney stones or metabolic disorders

When Should Urinalysis Be Done?

Urinalysis is recommended during routine checkups, when evaluating urinary symptoms (dysuria, frequency, urgency), for diabetic and kidney disease monitoring, before surgery, and when investigating fever or abdominal pain.

Sample Collection

A midstream clean-catch urine sample is required for accurate results. The first portion of urine is discarded, and the middle portion is collected in a sterile container. For children or catheterized patients, special collection methods are used.

Preparing for Urinalysis

• • Drink normal amounts of fluids the day of the test
• • Avoid foods that change urine color (beets, berries) if scheduled
• • For women, avoid testing during menstruation if possible
• • Inform the lab of any medications you're taking