Glycosuria is the presence of glucose (sugar) in the urine. The doctor prescribes this examination to follow the evolution of diabetes, especially in pregnant women.

Glycosuria refers to the presence of glucose in the urine. An unusual condition, which usually occurs when you have hyperglycaemia (i.e. too much glucose in the blood) and / or when the level of renal reabsorption is exceeded.

Remember that glucose is a simple sugar which is the main source of energy for the cells of the body. From food, part of glucose is used for energy, the other is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles. It can be mobilized when needed.

In pregnant women, glycosuria is monitored routinely. It is also possible that she has one, that is to say that she has sugars in her urine.

In case of doubt, too high a value, the doctor will ask for additional analyzes and in particular a measurement of blood sugar.

The doctor orders the examination to monitor the progression of diabetes.

Note that the measurement of glucose in the blood (glycemia) is a more suitable test and more often used to detect diabetes and follow its evolution. However, the glycosuria test is still useful because it can specifically detect renal glycosuria. This is a condition in which glucose is excreted in the urine despite normal blood sugar levels.

Usually there is little or no glucose in the urine. Urine glucose level is considered normal if it is below 15 mg / dl.

Note that normal values ​​may vary slightly depending on the laboratories performing the analyzes.

If the glycosuria is above the norms, this can notably be a sign of:

• diabetes;
• un Gestational Diabetes in a pregnant woman;
• renal glycosuria;
• pregnancy ;
• or even certain conditions influencing the renal reabsorption capacity of glucose, such as Fanconi syndrome, Wilson’s disease, interstitial nephritis, etc.

In case of positive values, additional tests must be performed, starting with the measurement of blood glucose.

Some medications can cause your glycosuria to vary. Also, it is important to talk to the doctor about it.

To measure the amount of glucose in the urine, the patient must urinate in a container provided for this purpose. It is advisable to let a small amount of urine flow into the toilet and then fill the bottle halfway through the urine stream. The end of urination can be done in the toilet.

Medical personnel then simply dip a urine dipstick in the sample to detect the glucose present.

The doctor may also request that the test be done in 24-hour urine.

It is possible that taking certain medications can influence the level of glucose found in the urine. It is therefore advisable to talk to the medical staff, without stopping taking any treatment.