Urinalysis Lab Study Guide

What is urine?

A liquid containing many waste product that otherwise might be toxic if they were allowed to remain in the body

What is urinalysis? What is it used for?

The analysis of physical and chemical properties of urine

Normal range for Urine volume

700-2,000 mL/day

What is polyuria?

abnormal large urine volume

What are three major factors that influence urine volume?

Fluid you consume, hormones, and fluid loss

Normal range for urine specific gravity

1.001-1.030

What does specific gravity measure?

The density of a urine in comparison to the density of water.

What property of urine does this indirectly measure?

The amount of solute

What is the specific gravity of DI water?

1.00

Normal range for urine osmolarity

855-1335 mOsm

What factors alter urine osmolarity?

Diet and hydration state

Normal range for urine pH

4.5-7.5

Causes of abnormal urine pH

Eating large quantity of meat will reduce urine pH, Eating large amounts of vegetable matter will increase the pH

What urine pigment is the normal urine color?

varies from pale yellow to straw/amber color

What can cause abnormal brown/tea colored urine?

Signs of phenol or heavy metal poisoning

What can cause abnormal red/pink colored urine?

Caused by certain foods like beets, but can also be a sign of blood in urine

What can cause abnormal orange colored urine?

Sign of dehydration resulting from fever or other illnesses

What can cause abnormal blue or geen colored urine?

Certain bacterial infections or presence of bile pigments

What is normal urine transparency?

Should be clear

What can cause murky or cloudly urine

Excessive levels of WBCs, fats, protein, or other mineral salts. Also indicate bacterial infection

Normal urine odors

Has little to no odor

List abnormal urine odors

Ammonia: old urine sample

Fishy: Infection

Fruity: Ketones

Normal urine solutes

Urea, Na+, K+, PO4 3- (phosphates), SO42- (Sulfates), NO3-(Nitrate), Creatinine, Uric acid
Varying amounts of: Ca2+, Mg2+, HCO3, Urobilinogen

Abnormal urine solutes

Nitrites, Bilirubin, protein, glucose, and ketones

What is glucosuria? What can cause this?

Glucose in urine. Stress, high-carbohydrate meals, diabetes, and kidney damage.

What is proteinuria? What can cause this?

Protein in urine. Stress, temporary dehydration, kidney damage.

What is ketonuria? What causes this?

Ketones in urine. Fat metabolism

What can cause bilirubin in the urine?

Cirrhosis, gallstones, bile blockage, types of anemia, or traumatic injury to the liver.

What causes nitrites in urine?

Bacterial infection

What types of things do you see in microscopic urine analysis?

Cells, crystals, and casts

What are casts?

Cylindrical structure formed from coagulated protein or cells in renal tubules

What kind of cells would you see in normal urine?

Occasional epithelial cells

Are RBCs normal in urine? What would cause RBCs in the urine?

No, it will indicate hematuria. Caused by UTIs, trauma, and kidney stones

Are WBCs normal in urine? What would cause WBCs in the urine?

Not usually. Caused by infection or inflammation

What chemical characteristics determines the types of crystals you see?

Urine pH