Body Fluids Flashcards
Macroscopic exam of urine
red
black/brown
blue/green
- Red urine
- hematuria (RBCs)
- hemoglobinuria (free hemoglobin in urine)
- myoglobinuria
- all 3 produce positive hemoglobin result on urine dipstick test
- Brownish black urine:
- alkaptonuria
- methemoglobinuria
- Blue/green urine
- pseudomonas
Urine chemistry - glucose
- Glycosuria
- with normal renal function, glucose appears in urine at renal threshold of 180 mg/dL
- threshold is lower in pregnancy
- in tubular dysfunction (impaired reabsorption), glucose may appear in the urine even when serum glucose is normal
- dipstick method is sensitive to glucose, other reducing methods do not give a positive reaction
-
copper sulfate method (Benedict reaction) underlies the Clinitest procedure:
- detects all reducing substances (reduce copper salts) including
- glucose
- lactose
- fructose
- galactose
- pentose
- detects all reducing substances (reduce copper salts) including
Ascorbate inhibits what urine test
- dipstick tests including
- glucose
- bilirubin
- nitrite
- leukocyte esterase
Urine protein
- Normal urine protein amounts to 150 mg/day and is mostly Tamm-Horsfall (tubular) protein
- greater amounts seen following
- exercise
- dehydration
- fever
- benign types of proteinuria
- postural and intermittent proteinuria
- greater amounts seen following
- dipstick test is sensitive to albumin
Urine ketones
- 3 major ketones in blood and urine:
- beta hydroxybutyrate
- acetoacetic acid
- acetone
- dipstick test is sensitive to acetoacetic acid
- table test (Acetest) is sensitive to acetoacetic acid also
Urine hemoglobin
- Hemoglobinuria must be distinguished from hematuria and myoglobinuria, which all produce positive hemoglobin dipstick
- hematuria is confirmed by micro exam for RBCs
- hemoglobinuria is confirmed by micro exam of urine for hemosiderin laden mononuclear cells (Prussian blue stain used)
- myoglobinuria distinguished by history, creatine kinase, normal haptoglobin
Causes of rhabdomylosis
Bilirubin and urobilinogen
- urinary bilirubin indicates conjugated hyperbilirubinemia because the unconjugated form does not pass through the glomerulus
- urobilinogen is the product of hydrolysis of bilirubin by intestinal bacteria
nitrite in urine
- indicates presence of nitrite producing organisms such as E coli
- nitrite negative agents of UTI include enterococci, N gonorrhoea and M Tb
Urine leukocyte esterase
- a reflection of the number of urinary neutrophils
- trichomonads and eosinophils are possible sources of false positive results
Urine specific gravity
- increased when the urine is concentrated
- fixed at 1.010 in isothenuria in which tubular damage results in urine SG equaling that of the glomerular filtrate
urine pH
- urine is usually pH 6
- acidotic patients have urine pH < 6
- alkalotic patients have urine pH >6
- Renal tubular acidosis has urine that is inappropriately alkaline compared to the blood pH and the kidneys cannot acidify the urine beyond pH 6.5
Chemical composition of stones is studied by
crystallography or infrared spectroscopy
Majority of kidney stones are composed of
Calcium oxalate > CaPO4 > struvite (MgNH4PO4 or triple phosphate stones) > urate > cystine
Calcium oxalate stones
- Promoted by
- low urine volume (like other stones)
- low citrate
- hypercalciuria
- oxaluria
- oxaluria increased in patients with Crohn disease who have undergone small bowel resection or small bowel bypass or ingest excessive amounts of oxalate (rhubarb, spinach, nuts)
- urinary pH has little effect on calcium oxalate crystalization
Calcium phosphate stones
- Promoted by
- low urine volume
- hypercalciuria
- elevated pH
Struvite stones promoted by
UTI with urea splitting organisms, which contributes to markedly alkaline pH
Urate stones promoted by
acidic pH and hyperuricosuria
Cystine stones promoted by
- inherited disease cystinuria (not cystinosis), an AR disease with defective renal and intestinal dibasic amino acid transport
- affects cystine, ornithine, lysine, and arginine (COLA)
Microscopic findings in hematuria
- Glomerular bleednig
- red cells may be polymorphic
- cells have different Hb concentrations
- red cell casts
- erythrophagocytosis
- Non glomerular bleeding
- uniform RBCs
- no red cell casts
- no erythrophagocytosis
Hyaline casts
- clear, colorless
-
nonspecific
- renal disease
- dehydration
- heat related trauma
- vigorous exercise
Red cell casts
- Specific for glomerulonephritis
- Lumpy edge
- anucleate, reddish pale discs