Clin Path Flashcards
describe urinary function markers
- urea nitrogen: labs may report as UN, BUN, or urea
-made in the liver
-urinary tract most important route of excretion - creatinine
- SDMA
what does an increased urea nitrogen indicate?
- decreased urinary excretion
-dehydration/hypovolemia
-kidney dysfunction
-outflow obstruction - increased protein digestion or catabolism
-GI hemorrhage
-high protein diets, starvation
describe urea nitrogen as an indication of early kidney insufficiency
POOR indicator of early kidney insufficiency
-once majority compromise occurs, THEN UN increases above reference interval
-extrarenal factors: rumen recycling, horses lose through gut
when does an increased creatinine occur?
- decreased urine excretion
-dehydration/hypovolemia
-kidney dysfunction
-outflow obstruction - very muscular animals
describe creatinine as an indicator for early kidney disease
- POORly sensitive for early kidney disease
-once 75% compromise occurs, THEN creatinine increases above reference interval - BUT is better than urea nitrogen in ruminants and horses
-not affected by rumen recycling or GI tract dumping
describe SDMA
- more sensitive reflection of GFR in dogs and cats
-may increase before creatinine and UN with impaired kidney function
-increased occur due to primary kidney disease as well as other conditions that affect kidneys (dehydration, hypertension) - follow up an increased SDMA with serial monitoring or further diagnostics like creatinine
describe azotemia
- increased non-protein nitrogenous compounds in the blood
-increase in serum urea nitrogen and/or creatinine concentration and/or SDMA
-reflective of GFR - use urine specific gravity to differentiate between prerenal, renal, and postrenal
describe urine specific gravity
- reflects tubular ability to concentrate or dilute
- estimated by refractometry
-change in light refraction is proportional to amount of solute - artifacts exist!
-marked glucosuria or proteinuria
describe hypersthenuria, isosthenuria, and hyposthenuria
hypersthenuria:
-highly/adequately concentrated urine
-USG cutoff is species dependent
–cats: greater than or equal to 1.035
–dogs: greater than or equal to 1.030
–horses and cattle: greater than or equal to 1.025
-although this is the goal, normal hydrated animals can intermittently not meet these criteria at random times (random one off not super concerning but if a trend = get concerned)
isosthenuria: urine osmolality = plasma osmolality
-tubules did not dilute or concentrate (kidney was dormant)
-USG 1.008-1.012
hyposthenuria: diluted urine
USG less than or equal to 1.007
how are urine markers different in avians and reptiles?
- creatinine and urea nitrogen are rarely helpful
- uric acid is a major nitrgenous waste product in birds and terrestrial reptiles (uricotelic)
-blood concentrations can be increased (hyperuricemia) due to impaired renal function, dehydration can also affect
-not particularly sensitive, so requires more than 67-75% functional mass loss to see elevations in blood - USG also less useful due to inability to concentrate urine (reptiles), mixture with feces, wide normal ranges (birds), small sample volume, etc.
describe prerenal azotemia causes (3)
- reduced renal blood flow (due to hypovolemia from dehydration or shock)
- decreased UN and creatinine clearance
-USG values:
-greater than or equal to 1.025 in horses and cattle, 1.030 in dogs, and 1.035 in cats
-so will see increased UN and creatinine - increased urea production
-upper GI hemorrhage: digested blood is source of urea
-high protein diets
-mildly increased UN and normal creatinine: urea production exceeds excretion
-USG variable
describe renal azotemia
- any renal disease that decreases GFR below 25%
-approx 75% loss of nephrons - USG:
-1.008-1.012 (isosthenuria) but not always if kidneys can concentrate to some degree
-but always less than the adequate cutoff for the species
describe postrenal azotemia
- excretion challenge such as urinary tract blockage or rupture
- USG is variable: depends on hydration status and presence or absence of concurrent renal disease
- hyperkalemia OFTEN present:
-decreased potassium excretion through urinary tract causes hyperkalemia!!
-hindered urination versus hindered urine production (both can cause postrenal azotemia)
-no USG to help clue you in; urine was already concentrated or not before it reached post-renal so elevated potassium is most helpful indicator or urinary obstruction!!!
what are other blood analytes affected by urinary disorders?
GFR:
-urea nitrogen
-creatinine
-SDMA
glomerular filtration barrier compromise:
-albumin and others!
tubular function alterations:
-sodium and chloride
-potassium
-bicarbonate
-calcium
-magnesium
-phosphorous
-albumin
-glucose
-others!
describe the components of a UA
macroscopic:
1. color
-light yellow/straw: normal
-colorless: very dilute
-dark yellow to orange or yellow-green: bilirubin
-white: pyuria, crystalluria
-red to brown: RBCs, hemoglobin, myoglobin
- clarity
-normal is transparent
-increased turbidity: increased cells, numerous crystals, bacteria, lipid, mucus, storage artifact - dipstick
-pH: dogs and cats between 6-7.5, horses and cows 7.5-8.5
-protein: 0-4+, normal is up to trace
-glucose: 0-large, normal is none
-blood/heme: 0-3+, normal is none
-ketones: 0-large; normal is none
-bilirubin: 0-3+, normal is up to 1+
-USG
microscopic: sediment examination