PAGE EXPIRES:  June 2000

SYNONYMS:  Routine UA; Semiquantitative UA; Dipstick UA

COMPONENT TESTS - Macroscopic

Color	Appearance	Specific gravity
pH	Protein	Glucose
Ketones	Bilirubin	Urobilinogen
Hemoglobin	Erythrocytes (RBCs)	Nitrite (Bacteria)
Leucocytes (WBCs)

SCHEDULE:  Routine turnaround time:  

SPECIMEN AND COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS:  

CAUSES FOR REJECTION:  Improperly labeled specimen; specimen delivery delayed; decomposition or bacterial overgrowth; insufficient quantity

STORAGE:  Refrigerate specimen if immediate processing not possible; refrigeration preserves formed elements but may precipitate crystals which were not originally present.

USES:  Screen for abnormalities in urine; detect urinary tract infection and neoplasm; detect and manage renal disease, systemic diseases, and inflammatory or neoplastic disease in or adjacent to urinary tract.

NORMAL VALUES:  

METHOD:  Dipstick chemistry with report.

DESCRIPTION AND COMMENTS:  Variations may result from nonpathologic (e.g., diet and collection time) as well as pathologic conditions.  Failure to follow proper collection procedure, failure to send the specimen immediately to the laboratory, and/or failure to provide refrigeration when testing will be delayed may alter test results.  Strenuous excerise before routine urinalysis may cause transient myoglobinuria, thereby yielding misleading results, and, many drugs affect the results of this test through their influence on such parameters as urine specific gravity and pH.

---