How Is Hematuria Diagnosed
The doctor will do an exam and ask about symptoms, recent activities, and the family medical history. Your child will give a urine sample for testing.
Sometimes, more tests are done, such as a:
Kids with hematuria that doesnât go away, who have protein in the urine, and/or high blood pressure should see a nephrologist .
How Does High Blood Pressure Affect My Kidneys
Here is how high blood pressure can affect your kidneys:
Physical Examination / Macroanalysis
In this portion of the analysis, the color, clarity, and concentration of the urine are evaluated. Abnormal colors can result from disease, certain foods, or contamination, so the physical examination is generally viewed as a crude assessment. Light or dark coloration also suggests how much water is being excreted. The clarity of urine is measured as either clear, slightly clear, cloudy, or turbid. Urine clarity, like urine color, suggests that substances may be present in the urine for example, turbid urine suggests the presence of protein or excess cellular material. However, accurate conclusions regarding the origin of the urine clarity cannot be drawn until further chemical and microscopic tests are performed. The physical examination also includes specific gravity, which measures the concentration of the urine sample. Specific gravity compares the concentration of urine to that of water . Usually it is better for the urine given in a sample to be more concentrated this allows the laboratory to more accurately detect substances being excreted by your body. If your urine is very dilute , you may be asked to give another urine sample.
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How Is Hematuria Treated
If your hematuria is caused by an infection, like a urinary tract infection , hematuria is treated with antibiotics. Your healthcare provider will test your urine after treating you with antibiotics to ensure that your infection has cleared. The goal of our kidney specialists at Richmond Nephrology Associates is to find the cause of blood in your urine and treat it. If no serious condition is causing hematuria, no treatment is needed.
People with proteinuria have unusually high amounts of protein in their urine. The condition is often a sign of kidney disease. Your kidneys are filters that dont usually let a lot of protein pass through. When kidney disease damages them, proteins such as albumin may leak from your blood into your pee. You can also have proteinuria when your body makes too much protein. Kidney disease often has no early symptoms. Protein in your pee might be one of the first signs. Your doctor may spot proteinuria on a urine test during a routine physical.
If your proteinuria indicates kidney disease, our kidney specialists at Richmond Nephrology Associates will work with you to assess and manage your disease.
Causes Of Protein In The Urine
Your kidneys, when working properly, filter waste products from your blood. They return protein and other materials that your body needs to function.
Some conditions and diseases can cause the level ofprotein in your urine to rise. Short term conditions that cause protein in the urine can include strenuous exercise, fever, heat or cold exposure and emotional distress. Long term conditions and diseases that can lead to protein in the urine include high blood pressure, kidney infection or disease, heart disease, diabetes, lupus and malaria.If a urine test reveals protein in your urine, your doctor may recommendfurther testing to determine the cause. Test may include a 24-hour urine collection to determine whether the protein in your urine is cause for concern. Your doctor may also follow up with an ultrasound or CT scan to look for issues like kidney stones or a biopsy to see what has caused damage to your kidneys.
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How Do You Prepare For The Test
Its important that your doctor knows all the medications youre currently taking, including over-the-counter and prescription medications. Certain medications can affect the level of protein in your urine, so your doctor may ask you to stop taking a medication or to change your dose before the test.
Medications that affect protein levels in the urine include:
- antibiotics, such as aminoglycosides, cephalosporins, and penicillins
- antifungal medications, such as amphotericin-B and griseofulvin
- penicillamine , a medication used to treat rheumatoid arthritis
Its important that youre well-hydrated before giving your urine sample. This makes giving the urine sample easier and prevents dehydration, which can affect test results.
Avoid strenuous exercise before your test, as this can also affect the amount of protein in your urine. You should also wait to take a urine protein test at least three days after taking a radioactive test that used contrast dye. The contrast dye used in the test is secreted in your urine and can affect results.
What Else Causes Protein In Urine
Proteinuria causes are linked to other conditions. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the two leading causes of chronic kidney disease , and kidney damage from those two conditions can result in proteinuria. Lupus, arthritis and other immune system disorders can also cause proteinuria. Protein in the urine can even be a warning sign of pre-eclampsia during pregnancy.
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The Main Protein Of Your Blood Is Called Albumin Proteins Have Many Important Functions In The Body Such As Contributing To The Construction Of Bones And Muscles Preventing Infection And Control The Amount Of Liquid In The Blood
Each normal kidney has around one million functioning units called nephrons. Each nephron has a filtering unit called glomerulus, in which the blood gets filtered, and a filtrate is produced. Nephron also has tube like parts called tubules which absorb and secrete urinary components from the filtrate and ultimately urine is produced which is excreted.Protein in the urine called proteinuria is one of the important signs of kidney disease.
Healthy kidneys eliminate excess liquid and waste from your food, but allow proteins and other important nutrients to pass and return to your bloodstream. When the kidneys work as well as they should, they can leave some proteins escape their filters in the urine. When you have protein in your urine, it is called proteinuria . Having a protein in your urine can be a sign of nephrotic syndrome or early development of renal disease.
Anyone can develop proteinuria. You may have a higher risk if you have one or more of the risk factors for renal disease, such as:
- Family history of renal disease
How Do I Do A 24
In children who are potty-trained, you should start the collection on a day when your child doesn’t go to school, usually on a Sunday. As soon as your child gets out of bed in the morning, have him or her urinate into the toilet. This urine is not saved just flush it down the toilet. Write down the exact time your child urinates.
After this, whenever your child needs to urinate, have your child urinate in the special container the doctor or the laboratory gives you. For girls, collect the urine first in a urine hat, then pour it into the special container. You don’t need to mark the times when these urine samples are collected.
It’s important to collect all the urine your child produces all day and in the night. The next morning, wake your child up at about the same time as you did the day before. Have your child urinate into the container one last time. This ends the 24-hour collection. Now write the date and the time on the container label. Bring the container to the laboratory on this day. Since bacteria can grow in urine at room temperature, it’s important to keep the urine container in a refrigerator during the collection and before you deliver it to the laboratory. Be sure to wash your hands after handling the container.
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What To Do Next If Protein Is Found In Urine
If protein is found on complete urine examination it needs to be reconfirmed by repeat testing. If there is persistent proteinuria found on complete urine examination and transient causes of protein excretion ruled out, then the amount of protein in the urine needs to be quantified and nephrologist consultation to be done for further evaluation and management.
Next steps in the management includes urine examination and microscopy to check for red blood cells in urine and estimation of kidney function along with ultrasound of kidneys and urinary bladder to look for their size and evidence of any infection or stones. Based on the information obtained after the above testing and clinical examination, kidney biopsy may be required for further identification of specific cause of proteinuria, which will guide the treatment further.
How Do I Take Care Of Myself
The best way to take care of yourself is to take your medications as prescribed by your healthcare provider.
Other ways to help take care of yourself include:
- Eating less protein.
- Limiting your salt intake, which can lower your blood pressure.
- Eating more fiber, which can help reduce cholesterol and control blood sugar.
- Exercising or moving regularly. Aim for at least two hours of activity every week.
- Regularly checking your blood sugar.
- Quitting smoking and tobacco use.
- Avoiding nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs unless recommended by your healthcare provider. The most common NSAIDs include aspirin , ibuprofen and naproxen .
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Blood And Protein In Urine
Urine color may change due to the presence of blood and protein in urine. This article explains why blood or protein gets mixed up in the urine and what are the other symptoms of the disorder.
Urine color may change due to the presence of blood and protein in urine. This article explains why blood or protein gets mixed up in the urine and what are the other symptoms of the disorder.
Usually, deep yellow is the color of concentrated urine, while dilute urine is normally colorless. Any other color of the urine is considered as abnormal. Distinct change in the color of urine is the prominent symptom of blood and protein in urine. Drugs or some food particles can impart various colors to the urine, like brown, green, black, orange or red. Brown urine may indicate the presence of broken down hemoglobin, which is a protein that promotes transfer of oxygen through red blood cells.
Urine can appear red or brown due to the presence of red blood cells in urine. The color may change, depending upon how long and how much amount of blood it contains. Brown urine can also be due to the presence of the muscle protein known as myoglobin. The condition wherein blood in the urine is noticed, is called hematuria. Chemical tests or microscopes help detect even a very small amount of blood in the urine.
Is Protein In Urine Serious
Yes, protein in your urine is serious. Proteinuria may increase your risk of death from heart disease and cardiovascular disease.
Occasionally, proteinuria is an early sign of chronic kidney disease , although you can have CKD and have normal levels of protein in your urine. CKD is a gradual loss of your kidney functions, which may eventually require a kidney replacement therapy, dialysis or kidney transplant. Diabetes and high blood pressure pressure can damage your kidneys. Theyre the two most common causes of kidney disease.
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Diagnosis / Testing Of Proteinuria
Routine complete urine examination test uses a multireagent dipstick for screening of protein in the urine. It is low cost, widely available and provides rapid point of care information. These dipstick reagents have a pH-sensitive colorimetric indicator which changes color when proteins bind to it. Based on the color, amount of proteinuria is estimated in a semiquantitative way . These dipsticks predominantly detect albumin and likely to miss non albumin and small LMW proteins. Very dilute urine can give false negative result and very concentrated urine can give false positive result. Blood in the urine can also give a false positive result, which is generally seen in menstruating women if the urine sample is collected during days of menstrual bleeding.
Proteinuria repeatedly positive on dipstick needs to be quantified which can be done by 24-hour urine total protein or albumin quantification for which urine is to be collected over 24 hours.
How Do Doctors Treat Protein In The Urine
Doctors treat the cause of protein in the urine:
- If you have diabetes, your doctor will help create a treatment plan to keep it under control and slow down damage to your kidneys. They may recommend that you:
- Check your blood sugar often
- Take certain medicines
- Follow a diabetes-friendly eating plan
- Be active most days of the week
Drinking water will not treat the cause of protein in your urine unless you are dehydrated. Drinking water will dilute your urine , but will not stop the cause of your kidneys leaking protein.
If you have protein in your urine, talk with your doctor to choose the best treatment option for you.
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Whats Wrong With Having Albumin In My Urine
One of the main jobs of your kidneys is to filter your blood. Your kidneys keep important things your body needs inside your blood, like protein. They also remove things your body doesnt need, like waste products and extra water.
If kidneys are healthy, you should have very little protein in your urine or even none. But if your kidneys are damaged, protein can leak out of the kidneys into your urine.
What Are The Signs Of Micro
In its early stages, there may be no noticeable signs or symptoms. As kidney function declines and large amounts of proteins are passing into the urine, swelling of the hands, feet, abdomen and face may occur. If albuminuria progresses, it may result in permanent kidney damage. In some patients, it might result in the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant. With or without symptoms, the only way to find out how much protein is passing into the urine is to test it.
Micro-albuminuria is linked with cardiovascular disease. Damaged blood vessels can lead to stroke and heart failure in addition to kidney disease.
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How Is A Urine Test Done
A simple urine test can be done in your doctor’s office. You will be asked to pee into a clean cup called a specimen cup. Only a small amount of your urine is needed to do the test. Some of the urine is tested right away with a dipstick a thin, plastic strip that is placed in the urine. The rest is examined under a microscope.
What Are The First Signs Of Kidney Problems
The earlier stages are known as 1 to 3. You may notice the following symptoms as the disease progresses. Nausea and vomiting, muscle cramps, loss of appetite, swelling via feet and ankles, dry, itchy skin, shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, and fatigue. The following are some of the most common kidney symptoms: Diarrhea and/or constipation, which may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. This is a sign that your kidneys are not functioning properly.
If you are experiencing these symptoms, call your doctor immediately. Your doctor may order a blood test to check your kidney function. You may also need to see a kidney specialist, who may perform a dialysis procedure to remove excess fluid from your blood stream and replace it with fresh, clean blood.
In some cases, the kidneys may not be able to produce enough blood to replace the fluid that has been removed from the blood vessels in your body. As a result, blood clots may form and block blood flow to your brain and other organs, causing a stroke, heart attack, or other serious health problems.
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How Do Healthcare Providers Diagnose Goodpasture Syndrome
Your provider will examine you and ask about your symptoms. To diagnose Goodpasture syndrome, your provider will order:
- Blood tests to check how your kidneys are working and look for antibodies in your blood.
- Urine test to check for blood or protein.
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Contrast Dye Or Material
Patients planning to get a protein urine test must ensure that he or she must not have undergone any radiology scan which requires the administration of contrast dye in his body. Any type of contrast dye administration, either orally or intravenously in the blood will reach out to the kidneys for filtration and will occur in the urine. The contrast dye in the urine will always interfere with the protein test results and the person might get a false report.
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