The presence of infections in the kidneys can sometimes be asymptomatic, so it poses a threat to the entire human body. If you have the first signs of the disease, you need to contact a specialist. He will refer you for a urine test. With pyelonephritis, the results will not be the best. In this article, you can get acquainted with what urine tests for pyelonephritis you need to take. In addition, here you can find the results of the transcript of the scheduled examinations.
Main symptoms of the disease
Usually, pyelonephritis begins with frequent urination and discomfort when urinating. After that, other signs of the disease appear:
- fever and chills;
- pain in the back or side;
- nausea or vomiting;
- strong odor and cloudy urine;
- foggy mind;
- blood in urine.
Also,pyelonephritis can develop against the background of other ailments of the urinary tract. They help to reduce the flow of urine.
So, kidney stones and benign prostatic hyperplasia can be the cause of pyelonephritis. People who have diabetes also suffer from this disease.
At the first signs of pyelonephritis, you should contact your doctor. He will prescribe the right treatment, and complications can be avoided.
Diagnosis of pyelonephritis
There are several effective ways to make a correct diagnosis.
These include a physical examination by a specialist, as well as a medical history.
One of the effective and true methods is the delivery of a urine test. The types and methods of this survey will be discussed in more detail in the following sections of the article.
Also, the doctor may order a blood test. It is passed if the previous method is not informative. As a rule, the patient may be referred for a general blood test or biochemistry. There are other types of this survey, which are rarely used. So, there is an analysis for the determination of C-reactive protein in the blood serum and blood culture for sterility.
In addition to the methods described above for examining the presence of infection in the kidneys, there are others. For example, computed tomography of the abdominal cavity and kidneys is widely used in practice. Please note that test results maydecipher only a specialist. Do not resort to self-medication and self-determination of results.
An ultrasound examination of the kidneys is also performed. A change in the structure of this organ and the presence of stones in them may indicate the development of a disease such as pyelonephritis.
Usually, with this ailment, the doctor prescribes a general urine test. In the case when it is not informative, other types of examination may be prescribed. Which of them the patient needs to undergo is determined by the specialist.
Urine analysis for pyelonephritis
Assign it not only to determine the presence of infections in the kidneys, but also to determine the general condition of the body.
There are several types of tests. Each of them is used in different cases to achieve some goal.
Common urinalysis in acute pyelonephritis is used quite often. It is taken for diagnosis, and after confirmation, they undergo this examination every week.
Thanks to this analysis, an increase in the level of red blood cells can be detected. This is a sign of inflammation. In addition, from the examination, you can find out the presence of coagulated proteins and granular casts. Also, this analysis determines the visual characteristics of urine. By color, presence of impurities and consistency, one can tell whether or not there are infections in the kidneys.
What other types of urinalysis are there?
It also happens that the examination described above for chronic pyelonephritis can be the same as for a he althy person. In this case, the specialist prescribes other types of tests.
For example, a test for a urogenital infection helps confirm the presence of uncharacteristic flora in the urine. And the examination for sterility gives a clarification of what type the pathogen belongs to. It is also used to determine the sensitivity of the latter to antibiotics in case of infection in the kidneys.
Urine according to Nechiporenko is given if other examinations have not shown changes in the composition of urine. It is this analysis that determines the percentage ratio of leukocytes and other components. Urine according to Nechiporenko, as well as a general analysis, is given early in the morning.
In addition to the listed types, there is another study that can recognize the presence of infections in the kidneys. Urinalysis according to Zimnitsky with pyelonephritis is collected within 24 hours. This allows you to identify the general condition of the kidneys. Most often, this type of examination is used in pediatrics. The analysis allows you to determine fluctuations in the density and daily volume of urine. The results also show the presence or absence of kidney failure.
Any changes in urinalysis with pyelonephritis indicate the presence of infections in the kidneys. After the results of the examination, the specialist prescribes the appropriate treatment.
How should I prepare for a urine test?
Before the examination, it is not recommended to eat those foods that can change the color of urine. These include fruits and vegetables, as well as hard candies.
To Representativesof the fair sex, if they started menstruating, it is worth waiting with the delivery of a urine test. This should be reported to a specialist.
Before you collect urine, you should wash the genitals. In addition, you must follow the rules of personal hygiene.
The day before the examination, it is not recommended to take diuretics. Otherwise, the result will be unreliable.
Indicators and interpretation of urine tests
In general, there are criteria by which to evaluate the he alth of the kidneys. Deviation from them indicates the presence of any diseases in the human body.
A large number of red blood cells in the urine indicates diseases of the genitourinary system. So, normally, men should have about 1 of them, and women - up to 3.
Leukocytes in the fair sex in the urine should be up to 6, and in the stronger sex - up to 3. Deviations indicate urolithiasis and infection in the kidneys.
Bilirubin should not be at all. Its presence in the urine indicates that there are toxic substances and inflammation in the human body.
Protein in urine may be present if the tubules of the kidney are damaged due to various infections.
Detection of ketones in the urine indicates that the patient is suffering from diabetes. This is indicated by the presence of glucose.
Acidity should normally be between 5 and 7 ph. Signs of pyelonephritis are confirmed by urinalysis if this indicator is lower or higher than the indicated figures. In addition, oxidation or alkalizationtestify not only to this disease, but also to other pathologies.
Thus, the answer to the question of how to determine pyelonephritis by urinalysis will be the correct decoding of all examination indicators. And if any of them deviates from the norm, then this indicates the presence of infections in the human body in the kidneys.
For a more accurate confirmation of the diagnosis, the specialist can send the patient for a second examination.
Blood test for pyelonephritis
It also happens that the urine given to patients is not informative enough. Then the doctor sends the patient for a blood test. It will clear up the picture better. This examination is divided into two types: a general and a blood test for biochemistry. Each of them will be discussed in more detail in the following sections of the article.
Why take a complete blood count for pyelonephritis?
This examination helps to detect an increase in the level of leukocytes, which indicates an inflammatory process in the human body. Blood is taken from the capillary of the finger of the right hand.
The analysis is taken early in the morning. It happens that these rules are violated for faster diagnosis of the disease. But the blood that is donated in the morning is more informative.
The test should be taken on an empty stomach. Previously, you can not eat food for 9 hours, you can drink.
Also, a couple of days before the general blood test, it is strictly forbidden to abuse alcohol. You should give up strong physical exertion and do not worry.
Beforetaking blood from a finger should not warm up the hands. Since this action can lead to an increase in white blood cells, it may contribute to a misdiagnosis.
When is it necessary to take a blood test for biochemistry?
This type of examination is prescribed by a specialist if there is a suspicion of improper functioning of the kidneys. From the analysis for pyelonephritis, it will be seen that the amount of nitrogenous products and urea has increased.
As a rule, blood for biochemistry is taken from the vein of the left wrist. Also, with this type of examination, as with the general one, it is necessary not to eat for 9 hours and come to the analysis room in the morning. Follow the rules for preparing for the assigned study. This is what will ensure the reliability of the tests and the diagnosis made by the doctor.
What do blood tests for pyelonephritis mean?
Correctly decipher the results can only be the person who has a special education. Patients should pay attention to several indicators, such as:
- increased white blood cell count;
- decrease in blood specific gravity;
- decrease in the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin;
- high ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate);
- an increase in the molar mass of uric acid, normally it should be up to 0.4 millimoles per liter;
- decrease in total protein;
- alpha-2 globulins are over 13% and gamma globulins are over 23%.
Conclusions on urine and blood tests can only be done by a specialist. Also he anddiagnosed with pyelonephritis. In this case, you should not self-medicate. Follow all doctor's recommendations and take appropriate medications.
