Urine tests or Urinalysis is a combination of the phrases urine and analysis. It is a group of medical tests that comprises physical (macroscopic) inspection of the urine, chemical assessment using urine test strips, and microscopic examination. Macroscopic inspection looks for factors like color, clarity, odor, and specific gravity; urine test strips look for chemical properties like pH, glucose concentration, and protein levels; and microscopy looks for components like cells, urinary casts and crystals. It can be used to detect and manage a wide range of disorders, such as urinary tract infections, kidney disease and diabetes. Protein levels in the urine might indicate renal dysfunction.
MEDICAL IMPORTANCE OF URINE TESTS

• To evaluate general health.
• To identify a medical problem.
• To keep track of a medical condition.

PATIENT PREPARATION FOR URINE TESTS

You can collect the urine sample at home or in the laboratory. Providers typically give out containers for urine samples. Health care providers usually request sample to be collected at home first thing in the morning because urine is more concentrated.
Sample is collected in the middle of the process (urination), using a clean-catch method and the following should be observed.

• Clean the urinary entrance. Women should clean their labia from front to back. Men should wipe the tip of their penis.
• Begin urinating in the toilet.
• Insert the collecting container (given out container) into urine flow.
• Collect about 45mls of urine into the labeled sterile container.
• Finish urinating on the toilet.
• Submit the sample as recommended by the health care provider.

Note:

If unable to transport the sample to the specified place within 60 minutes of collection, refrigerate it (2-8^o C) unless otherwise instructed by the Lab Scientist. Send the urine sample to a laboratory for analysis. Many drugs, including over-the-counter medications and supplements, can interfere with urinalysis results. Inform the health care provider about any medications, vitamins and any other supplements you are taking before having a urinalysis.

URINE TESTING.

For a urinalysis,  the Lab Scientist will evaluate the urine sample in three ways:

      Macroscopic examination, Chemical examination Microscopic examination.

Macroscopic Examination

A medical laboratory scientist examines the urine’s appearance. Typically, urine is clear. An infection, for example, might be indicated by cloudiness or an odd odor. The presence of protein in urine might cause it to appear frothy (foamy). The presence of blood in the urine might cause it to appear red or brown. What you’ve just eaten or by medicines you’re taking affects your urine colour or odor.

Chemical Examination

When specific compounds are present or their amounts exceed normal limits, the chemical strips change color. A dipstick test looks for the following things:

• Alkalinity (pH): The pH level of urine reflects the quantity of acid in the urine. A high pH level might signal a kidney or urinary tract problem.
• Concentration: A concentration measurement indicates how concentrated the particles in the urine are. A greater than usual concentration is frequently caused by a lack of fluids.
• Protein: Protein levels in urine are typically low. Small increases in protein in urine are normally unnoticeable, but greater quantities may suggest a kidney issue.
• Glucose: Levels in urine are often too low to be detected. Any sugar detected on this test typically necessitates further testing for diabetes.
• Ketones: As with sugar, any amount of ketones detected in the urine could be a sign of diabetes and requires follow-up testing.
• Bilirubin: Bilirubin is a byproduct of the destruction of red blood cells. Normally, bilirubin is transported through the blood and then into the liver, where it is eliminated and converted into bile. Bilirubin in the urine might be an indication of liver damage or illness.
• Infection evidence: Nitrites or leukocyte esterase — a white blood cell component — in the urine might suggest a urinary tract infection.
• Blood: Additional testing is required if blood detected in the urine. It might be an indication of kidney disease, infection, kidney or bladder stones, kidney or bladder cancer, or blood issues.

Microscopic Exam

This test, which is sometimes conducted as part of a urinalysis, involves looking via a microscope at droplets of urine concentrate – urine that has been spun in a machine. If any of the following levels are over normal, it requires further testing:

• White blood cells (leukocytes) may indicate an infection; red blood cells (erythrocytes) may indicate renal illness, a blood issue, or some underlying medical condition, such as bladder cancer.
• Bacteria, yeast, or parasites can all be signs of an infection.
• Casts, which are tube-shaped proteins, can be caused by renal problems.
• Crystals formed by chemicals in urine may be an indication of kidney stones.

CONCLUSION
A urinalysis alone does not generally offer a definitive diagnosis. The requesting clinician will do a follow-up for abnormal or atypical results. The combination of urinalysis findings with additional tests might assist your clinician in determining the next steps.
A urinalysis with routine test findings does not guarantee that you are not unwell. It is possible that illness detection is too early, or that your urine is too diluted. Inform your provider if you are still experiencing signs and symptoms. Visit us today.