Urinalysis & Body Fluids Study Guide
Urinalysis & Body Fluids Study Guide
INSTRUCTIONS: Complete study worksheets are part of your urinalysis & body fluids review. Submit to the
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1. Chemical Analysis
Confirmatory Test and Clinical Significance
Analyte Test Principle
Principle (If Applicable) (When will it be abnormal?)
Specific gravity the ratio of the weight of a used to measure the concentrating and
volume of urine to the weight diluting ability of the kidney in its effort to
of the same volume of maintain homeostasis in the body. The
distilled water at a constant concentrating
temperature. ability of the kidney is one of the first
The test is based on the pKa functions to be lost as a result of tubular
change of certain damage.
pretreated polyelectrolytes in
relation to ionic
concentration;
therefore, the procedure is
actually measuring the ionic
concentration
of the urine, which relates to
the specific gravity.
pH It analysis the acidity of the Litmus paper or Nitrazine It measures the pH of the body, which
urine through a change of paper. Same principle as changes through diet, breathing, and kidney
color depending on the the reagent test strips. function. There is no abnormal results. Other
acidity or alkalinity. The H+ A pH meter with a glass information along with the urine pH needs to
reacts with methyl red and electrode. be used together to determine the issue
bromothymol blue.
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Blood A qualitative measurement of Microscopic examination Hemolyzed blood in the patient due to
RBCs, hemoglobin, and electrophoresis transfusion reactions end up in the urine.
myoglobin in the urine. With this test, we can tell if the red colored
The dipstick procedure is urine is due to blood or other things to act
based on the peroxidase-like fast to treat the patient. Alsom
activity
of hemoglobin and myoglobin
which catalyzes the oxidation
of
a chromogen by organic
peroxide
Leukocyte Neutrophils contain enzymes Microscopic examination Increased numbers of
esterase known as esterases. These neutrophils usually indicate the presence of
esterases can be detected by a urinary tract
reagent strips that contain an infection; and their presence is indicated by
appropriate substrate such a positive leukocyte
as indoxylcarbonic acid ester esterase test.
Nitrite Reagent strips for the For the early detection of significant and
detection of nitrite in the asymptomatic
urine commonly bacteriuria. Common organisms that can
use p-arsanilic acid and a cause urinary
quinoline compound. Nitrite tract infections, such as Escherichia coli,
reacts with p-arsanilic acid to Enterobacter,
form a diazonium compound. Citrobacter, Klebsiella, and Proteus species,
This compound then couples produce enzymes
with the quinoline compound that reduce urinary nitrate to nitrite.
to produce a pink color
Protein It is based on the concept heat and acid tests cause Proteinuria, the presence of increased
known as the "protein error the protein to precipitate amounts of protein in urine, can be an
of indicators;' a phenomenon important indicator of renal disease.
which means that the point
of calor change of some pH
indicators is different in the
presence of protein from that
observed in the absence of
protein, because proteins act
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as hydrogen ion acceptors at
a constant pH. Usually, the
indicator changes from
yellow to blue (or green)
between pH 3 and pH 4, but
in the presence of protein,
this color change will occur
between pH 2 and pH 3.
Glucose The procedures that use the Blood glucose test It can be used for the diagnoses of diabetes,
enzyme glucose oxidase are but it can only be used with other tests to
specific for glucose, while the specifically determine the diagnosis.
copper reduction test will When the blood glucose exceeds the renal
detect any reducing threshold, the tubules cannot reabsorb all of
substance (a chemical that the filtered glucose, and so glycosuria
loses an electron to a occurs.
different chemical during an
oxidation-reduction
reaction).
Ketones Multistix contains the The first step in the Krebs cycle is the
reagents sodium reaction of acetyl CoA with oxaloacetate to
nitroprusside and yield citrate. When carbohydrate is not
an alkaline buffer, which available or is not being properly utilized, all
react with diacetic acid in available oxaloacetate will be used to form
urine to glucose, and so there will be none available
form a maroon color for condensation with acetyl CoA. CoA
cannot enter the Krebs cycle; therefore, it is
diverted to the formation of ketone bodies.
Diagnosis for Type 1 Diabetes
Bilirubin Coupling reaction of a Lctotest The detection of small quantities is very
diazonium important in the early diagnosis of
salt with bilirubin in an acid obstructive and hepatic jaundice. This test is
medium also useful in the differential
diagnosis of obstructive (positive) and
hemolytic (negative) jaundice.
Urobilinogen This is a simple color Screening for urobilinogen is useful in the
development reaction in
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which diagnosis of liver function disorders.
aldehyde or diazonium
compounds react with
urobilinogen
to produce a pink to red color
in an acid environment
2. Renal Disorders
Significant Expected
Disease/Disorder Pathogenesis Chemical Urinalysis Microscopic Other Important Facts
Lab Findings Findings
Acute An autoimmune condition proteinuria, dysmorphic RBCs, The patient may also have
poststreptococcal that may arise after a hematuria with RBCs WBCs, RBC casts, positive
glomerulonephritis Streptococcus pyogenes and possibly an Anti-Streptolysin 0
(group A) infection of the occasional serological results.
throat or skin. This occurs hyaline or granular
approximately 7 to 12 cast.
days postinfection. It is
not arising from the
organism but rather from
an immunological
poststreptococcal
infection reaction.
Rapidly progressive A form of acute kidney proteinuria, dysmorphic RBCs, This disease often
glomerulonephritis disease that causes hematuria with RBCs WBCs, RB C casts, progresses to chronic
damage to the glomeruli and possibly an glomerulonephritis.
and progressive loss of occasional hyaline
kidney function over or granular cast.
weeks to months.
Membranous caused by pronounced Elevated protein and hematuria This glomerulonephritis is
glomerulonephritis thickening of the foamy urine one of the most common
glomerular basement causes of nephrotic
membrane. The syndrome.
glomerular basement
membrane is a part of
the kidneys that helps
CSF Lumbar puncture Laboratory tests that may Indications for performing a Bacterial contamination
Contraindication to be performed on CSF lumbar puncture and CSF
performing include, but are not examination include
this puncture is the limited to, macroscopic suspicions of encephalitis,
presence of evaluation, meningitis, multiple sclerosis,
infection at the microscopic evaluation of neurosyphilis, and
puncture site. cell count and type, subarachnoid hemorrhage,
chemical analysis, among other disorders. This
microbiology cultures, procedure is usually
and immunologic and performed on patients with
molecular analyses. unexplained seizures or on
those who have fever of
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unknown origin. Dementia
and acute states of confusion
may also prompt the
physician to perform a
lumbar puncture and CSF
examination.
Serous Pleural Fluid: Laboratory tests that may The accumulation of serous Transudates and Exudates
Collected by be fluid is called an effusion.
thoracentesis performed on serous body Effusions may result from a
Pericardial Fluid: fluids include, but are not disruption in the balance of
Collected by limited to, macroscopic these pressures
pericardiocentesis evaluation of fluid (transudates) or in response
Peritoneal Fluid: appearance, microscopic to infection and inflammatory
Collected by evaluation of cell count processes (exudates).
Paracentesis and type, chemical
analysis, microbiology
cultures, and
immunologic and
molecular analyses.
Synovial Aspiration of Color Analysis of synovial fluid is
joint fluid through Viscosity important in the diagnosis of
arthrocentesis Cell count joint disease. Aspiration of
Differential joint fluid is indicated for any
Crystal identification patient with a joint effusion
Microbiology or inflamed joints. Aspiration
of asymptomatic joints is
beneficial
for patients with gout and
pseudogout as these fluids
may
still contain crystals.
Gastric Excretion Macroscopic, microscopic, Examination of gastric Contamination
and chemical testing of contents aids in the
feces are routinely differential diagnosis of
performed in the core gastric and duodenal ulcers,
laboratory for detection of and to evaluate the presence
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colon cancer, steatorrhea of hyper- or hypochlorhydria.
and other malabsorptive Fecal testing provides
digestive important information related
disorders, or maldigestion to gastrointestinal disorders,
disorders. Tests are also infections, and several other
performed in the medical conditions.
microbiology department
for various stool
pathogens;
bacterial, viral, and
parasitic, as well as for
their toxins.
Amniotic obtained by Macro and microscopic The lab oratory performs
amniocentesis, examination several crucial tests on
Spectrophotometric amniotic fluid to assess the
analysis status of the fetus. These
serum a-fetoprotein tests can be divided into
Acetylcholinesterase these groups: (a) tests to
Immunologic diagnose genetic and
agglutination test congenital disorders before
birth, (b) tests to detect fetal
distress from hemolytic
disease of the newborn
(HDN) or from infection, (c)
tests to assess fetal lung
maturity, and (d) assessment
of the ability of the fetus to
survive early delivery.
Semen Masturbation Semen volume, viscosity, for the evaluation of an Urine
pH, and sperm infertile couple. Skin, bacterial
concentration, Other indications for contamination
motility, viability, and performing a semen analysis Saliva
morphology. include
Macroscopic examination determining the
effectiveness of a vasectomy,