Contents
Practically with any visit to the doctor, clinical studies are prescribed for the patient to make a correct diagnosis, as well as to display a complete picture of the body’s work. One of them is a biochemical analysis of urine, which is used in order to detect the onset of serious diseases in time, as well as to clarify a previously diagnosed diagnosis.
The correct interpretation of the indicators of such an analysis is important not only for specialists, but also for the patients themselves. Based on this examination, the doctor will be able to prescribe timely and adequate treatment, which will help to avoid unnecessary and serious complications.
But in order for the results of the analysis to be more accurate, it is necessary to know how to properly collect material for such a study.
How to collect urine for biochemical research
Biochemical analysis requires urine collected in the morning on an empty stomach. Such a study is usually done in combination with a biochemical blood test.
Before collecting urine for such an analysis, it is necessary to stop eating spicy and fatty foods, sweets and alcoholic beverages. Also, you should not eat foods that can color urine a different color. These include: beets, blueberries, asparagus and rhubarb. At the same time, the amount of fluid consumed should be left unchanged.
Approximately twenty-four hours before the test, it is necessary to stop the use of antibacterial drugs or uroseptics, and the attending physician must be notified about which medications or vitamin complexes the patient is using. Otherwise, the analysis may give incorrect results, which will accordingly affect the diagnosis and lead to incorrect treatment.
Women need to remember that it is not recommended to take such an analysis during menstrual flow, and if the attending physician prescribes it anyway, then you should use a hygienic swab.
It is imperative to observe personal intimate hygiene when collecting urine for biochemical research. Do not use antibacterial agents or disinfectants for this. Normal soap and warm water are best.
Urine collection must be carried out in a sterile disposable container, which can be freely purchased at any pharmacy. If there is no such container at hand, then you should take a clean glass jar. It must be thoroughly rinsed with clean hot water, and then rinsed with boiling water. You should also make sure that the lid fits snugly on the jar so that the contents will not spill during transportation.
If the doctor prescribes taking an analysis for the Reberg test, then it is necessary to collect urine within a day. The last collection must take place exactly twenty-four hours after the first. It is necessary to store the urine collected in this way in a dark, cool room. A refrigerator works well for this.
Deciphering the biochemical study of urine
When analyzing urine for biochemistry, the following indicators are examined:
- the consistency of urine, with a change in which we can talk about the presence of various abnormalities or pathologies in the urinary system;
- uric acid, the presence of which in the urine indicates possible joint diseases, the development of arthrosis or gout;
- protein, by the presence of which one can judge the beginning of the inflammatory process in the body;
- the amount of urine excreted per day, with the help of which it is possible to detect the development of kidney diseases, as well as to determine the presence of poisoning of the body with heavy metals;
- the content of calcium, chlorine and sodium in the urine, the amount of which reveals kidney diseases, diabetes mellitus and metabolic disorders;
- potassium, the presence of which indicates possible hormonal disruptions.
Only the attending physician can correctly decipher these indicators, since the results of the analysis are influenced by many factors, in addition to the content of certain elements in the material under study. These include:
- gender of the patient;
- his age;
- disease history;
- the current state of the patient.
But some indicators determined by the biochemical analysis of urine are also of interest to the patient. After all, judging by them, you can determine the state of the body as a whole, as well as understand what is most worth focusing on. Here is a list of the most important indicators:
- The total protein found in the body. Normally, protein in the urine is contained in the range from 0 to 0,033 grams per liter. If its level is exceeded, this indicates the presence of infectious and inflammatory processes in the urinary system, kidneys or genitals. Also, a change in this indicator is possible in the presence of allergic reactions, autoimmune diseases, diabetes mellitus or myeloma.
- Uric acid. This is a breakdown product of purine bases, which, during the normal functioning of the body, is almost completely excreted in the urine. The daily norm of this indicator is 0,4-1 grams. An increase in standards may indicate a high-protein diet, anemia, cirrhosis of the liver, the development of gout and other diseases.
- amylase enzyme. This substance is produced by the salivary and pancreas, participates in protein synthesis and is excreted from the body with urine. Its norm in urine is from 10 to 1240 units per liter. Accordingly, an excess of the norm indicates the presence of problems with the pancreas or a violation of the salivary glands.
- The level of sugar in the urine. Normally, glucose in the urine is 0,03-0,05 grams per liter. Exceeding the level indicates the occurrence of diabetes mellitus or the development of kidney disease.
Additional indicators in the biochemical analysis of urine
In the study of urine for biochemistry, there are a number of other indicators, the correct interpretation of which will help in the correct diagnosis, as well as in the appointment of appropriate treatment. These include: urea, creatinine and microalbumin.
Urea. A substance formed during protein metabolism in the human body. Its norm is 333 – 586 mmol per day. A decrease in the norm indicates a violation of the liver, for example, cirrhosis, as well as the presence of chronic kidney diseases, acute renal failure, and may be with a low intake of proteins from food. Exceeding the level of urea indicates an acceleration of the breakdown of proteins in the body, with fever, with an increased intake of proteins from food, as well as with the use of glucocorticoid hormones.
Albumin is a blood plasma protein that is excreted from the body through the urinary system. Its rate in the urine should be 3,0-4,24 mmol per day. An increase in the level of this indicator makes it possible to diagnose diabetic or hypertensive nephropathy.
Creatinine One of the products of protein metabolism in the body. It plays one of the main roles in the functioning of muscle tissue. A decrease in this indicator in the urine indicates impaired renal function, characteristic of chronic pyelonephritis and glomerulonephritis, as well as anemia, muscle atrophy, paralysis, and leukemia.
In addition to the above indicators, a urine test for biochemistry indicates the content in the body of certain elements, without which its normal operation is impossible.
Phosphorus is one of the elements necessary for the formation of bone tissue. Its norm in the urine is 0,4-1,4 grams per day. Deviation from these numbers indicates pathologies in the bone tissue of the body, as well as possible disorders in the functioning of the kidneys.
Potassium. The norm of such an element is 38,3 – 81,7 mmol per day. A change in the indicator indicates pathological processes occurring in the adrenal glands and kidneys, as well as a strong intoxication of the body. It should be borne in mind that the norms of potassium content change with age, and in an adult its level is much higher than in a child’s body. Also, the amount of this element is greatly influenced by the patient’s diet, so the attending physician can request data on the patient’s daily routine and the food he consumes.
Calcium. Along with phosphorus, it is involved in the structure of bone and muscle tissues. It is important for the normal functioning of the joints, and for the production of hormones, and for the normalization of blood clotting. Exceeding the norm of this element in the urine indicates the development of osteoporosis, myeloma, hyperparathyroidism or acromegaly. A decrease in the level of calcium leads to nephritis: glomerulo and pyelo, rickets, as well as oncological diseases of bone tissue.
Sodium, the rate of which also directly depends on the age of the patient and ranges from one hundred to two hundred and fifty-five mmol per day for an adult. It can also enter the body with food, which will increase its level. The amount of sodium is determined by the overall water-salt balance in the body. The deviation of this indicator from the norm indicates diseases of the kidneys, adrenal glands, the development of diabetes mellitus, as well as the presence of a traumatic brain injury.
Another important element for the human body is magnesium, which plays an important role in the activation of enzymes. Its daily rate in the urine is 3,0-4,24 mmol. Changes in standards in one direction or another are possible in the presence of diseases of the central nervous system, heart, blood vessels, as well as kidney dysfunction.
Summing up
A biochemical analysis of urine is a study that can detect the presence of various kinds of pathologies in the human body, which allows you to prescribe adequate treatment in time, leading to a speedy and complete recovery. It is very important at the same time, for the correct determination of indicators, to properly prepare for this study and collect the material under study. And it is best to decipher the analysis with the attending physician, who knows many nuances, in addition to the standards that affect the content of certain indicators in the human body.