Odor Flashcards
Historically, urine odor led to the research and discovery of the metabolic disease_______.
Currently, urine odors, unless remarkably strong or distinctive, are not documented or investigated as part of a routine urinalysis.
phenylketonuria
Because urine contains many organic and inorganic substances (byproducts of metabolism),_____ has a characteristic aromatic odor that is typically faint and unremarkable.
However, if normal urine is allowed to stand at room temperature and “age,” it can become particularly (2) because of the conversion of_____ to _____ by _____
normal urine
odorous and ammoniacal
urea to ammonia by bacteria.
Key Consideration: If a urine specimen has a strong_____ odor, it must be determined whether the specimen is fresh or improperly stored.
ammonia
Fresh Urine with Ammonia Odor: A strong ammoniacal smell in freshly voided urine may indicate a____, as bacteria in the urinary tract break down urea into ammonia.
urinary tract infection (UTI)
Fetid or Pungent Odor: Severe UTI cases can produce a foul smell due to (3)
pus formation
bacterial growth
protein decay
__________
Becomes ammoniacal over time due to bacterial growth outside the body.
__________
Freshly voided urine has a strong ammonia smell due to bacterial metabolism inside the urinary tract.
Improperly Stored Urine
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
Strong, sulfur-like odor (due to asparagusic acid).
Pungent smell (due to sulfur-containing compounds). Medicinal or chemical-like odor
Asparagus
Garlic & Onions
Phenol-containing drugs
Excess ketones due to fat metabolism.
Diabetes Mellitus
Sweet or fruity odor
Defect in branched-chain amino acid metabolism.
Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD)
Maple syrup or burnt sugar
Accumulation of phenylalanine due to enzyme deficiency.
Phenylketonuria (PKU)
Musty or mousy odor
Tyrosine metabolism defect.
Tyrosinemia
Rancid or cabbage-like odor
Accumulation of trimethylamine due to a genetic enzyme deficiency
Trimethylaminuria (Fish Odor Syndrome)
Strong fishy odor
Defect in leucine metabolism.
Isovaleric Acidemia
Sweaty feet odor
Bleach or Cleaning Agents:
• Urine specimens may have an artificial chemical smell if_____ (intentionally altered) or if collected in a contaminated container.
• This is a major concern in
drug testing, where people may try to interfere with results.
• Any urine specimen with a strong smell of bleach or disinfectants is considered unacceptable for testing.
adulterated
Urine tasting as a diagnostic tool dates back to________, when physicians would taste urine to detect the presence of _____
This practice was primarily used to diagnose______, a condition characterized by excessive glucose in the urine.
circa 1674
sugar (glucose).
diabetes mellitus
“Sweet urine”
Presence of glucose in urine makes it taste sweet.
Diabetes Mellitus
“Tasteless urine”
No glucose or other solutes that would affect taste.
Diabetes Insipidus
The word diabetes comes from the Greek word______, which means “_______” and refers to the excessive amount of urine excreted by these individuals.
Despite this similarity, the causes of these disorders are entirely different.
diabainein
to pass through or siphon
Diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, diuretics, excessive fluid intake.
Polyuria (Excessive urination)
> 2500 mL/day
Dehydration, kidney failure, shock, severe burns.
Oliguria (Low urine output)
< 400 mL/day
Severe kidney failure, urinary tract obstruction.
Anuria (No urine output)
< 100 mL/day
Increased night-time urine output Heart failure, diabetes, chronic kidney disease.
Nocturia (Frequent urination at night)
