Introduction to Urinalysis Flashcards
References to the study of urine can be found in the
Drawings of cavemen and in Egyptian hieroglyphics, such as the Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus
He wrote a book on “uroscopy” in the 5th century BCE
Hippocrates
He discovered albuminuria in 1694
Frederik Dekkers
How did Frederik Dekkers discovered albuminuria?
By boiling urine
Charlatans without medical credentials that offer predictions to the public for a healthy fee
Pisse prophets
Author of the book where pisse prophets are the subjects
Thomas Bryant, 1627
This inspired the passing of the first medical licensure laws in England
Book of Thomas Bryant
This milestone led to the examination of urinary sediment
Invention of the microscope in the 17th century
He developed the methods for quantitating the microscopic sediment
Thomas Addis
He introduced the concept of urinalysis as part of a doctor’s routine patient examination in 1827
Richard Bright
Two unique characteristics of a urine specimen
- Urine is a readily available and easily collected specimen
- Urine contains information, which can be obtained by inexpensive laboratory tests, about many of the body’s major metabolic functions
How does the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) define urinalysis?
“The testing of urine with procedures commonly performed in an expeditious, reliable, accurate, safe, and cost-effective manner.”
Reasons for performing urinalysis identified by CLSI
Aiding in the diagnosis of disease
Screening asymptomatic populations for undetected disorders
Monitoring the progress of disease and the effectiveness of therapy
Organ that continuously form urine
Kidney
Average daily urine output
1200mL
The amount of filtered plasma converted by the kidney into average daily urine output
170,000mL
General composition of urine
95% water
5% solutes (urea, organic and inorganic chemicals)
Metabolic waste product produced in the liver from the breakdown of protein and amino acids
Urea
This metabolic product accounts for nearly half of the total dissolved solids in urine
Urea
Primary organic substances in urine
Urea
Creatinine
Uric acid
The major inorganic solid dissolved in urine
Chloride
Sodium
Potassium
Other substances found in urine include
Hormones
Vitamins
Medications
Formed elements that may be found in urine
Cells
Casts
Crystals
Mucus
Bacteria
Increased amounts of formed elements in urine are often indicative of
Disease