Urinalysis: General urine test

Urinalysis (General Urine Test) Urinalysis is a routine test that evaluates the physical, chemical, and microscopic properties of urine. It helps detect kidney disorders, urinary tract infections, metabolic imbalances, and early signs of systemic diseases.

• Physical Characteristics

Color of urine Normally ranges from pale yellow to amber. It may vary based on hydration, diet, and medications.

• Reddish: beetroot, berries, pomegranate, or blood (UTI, kidney stones, glomerulonephritis)
• Orange: carrots, vitamin B2, UTI medications
• Brown: liver disease, antibiotics (e.g. metronidazole)
• Green/Blue: infections, medications, rare metabolic disorders
• Black: melanoma (very rare)

Clarity (Transparency) Fresh urine is typically clear.

• Temporary cloudiness: dehydration, exercise, pregnancy
• Persistent turbidity: infection (cystitis, pyelonephritis), kidney stones, diabetes

Specific gravity (Urine density) Reflects hydration and kidney function.

• Higher: dehydration, diabetes, stress, late pregnancy complications
• Lower: chronic kidney conditions, diabetes insipidus, excess water intake

pH (Acidity) Normal range: 5.5 to 7.0

• Acidic urine: high protein diet, diabetes, diarrhea
• Alkaline urine: vegetarian diet, UTI, chronic kidney failure

• Chemical Properties

Protein Normally absent or trace.

• Temporary: stress, fever, exercise
• Persistent: kidney damage, glomerulonephritis, diabetes, hypertension

Glucose Normally absent.

• Present in: diabetes, pancreatitis, brain injuries, thyroid disorders

Bilirubin & Urobilinogen

• Bilirubin: should be absent (present in hepatitis, cirrhosis, bile duct obstruction)
• Urobilinogen: small amount is normal; increased in liver diseases

Ketones Absent under normal conditions.

• Present in: diabetes, starvation, low-carb diets, infections

Hemoglobin Normally absent.

• Indicates: malaria, sepsis, transfusion reaction, muscle injury

Nitrites Not normally present.

• Positive: may indicate bacterial infection in the urinary tract

• Microscopic Examination

Red Blood Cells (RBCs)

• Normal: 0–1 per field
• Elevated in: kidney stones, infections, trauma, tumors

White Blood Cells (WBCs)

• Normal: up to 5 per field
• Elevated in: UTI, cystitis, pyelonephritis, lupus

Epithelial Cells

• Squamous: minor contamination or UTI
• Transitional: bladder inflammation
• Renal tubular cells: kidney damage

Casts Cylindrical structures formed in renal tubules

• Hyaline: may be normal
• Granular or epithelial: kidney disease, hypertension, infections

Crystals May suggest dehydration or risk of kidney stones

• Uric acid, oxalates, phosphates

Bacteria

• Presence indicates infection (most commonly E. coli)

Mucus

• Increased in inflammatory conditions or improper sample collection

This test provides essential insights into your urinary and systemic health. Regular urinalysis can help detect health issues early and guide further diagnostics or interventions.