Leukocyte esterase in urine - what does it mean? Urinalysis is one of the most common methods for studying the state of the human body. Urine is examined chemically. In the process, the laboratory assistant receives information about the amount of sugar, protein, ketone bodies. Data on how many leukocytes and erythrocytes are shown by a study of urine under a microscope.
Medical study of leukocyte esterase
You should be aware that leukocytes may not be found in the urine test. Bloody bodies may also be absent.
In order to determine their performance, it is necessary to examine the urine chemically. One of these methods of research are tests. They come in the form of strips. To detect the presence of leukocytes, such a strip is lowered into the urine. If the test result is positive, it changes color.
What is this?
What is leukocyte esterase? Now let's look at this topic in detail. An enzyme is called an esterase. Leukocyte esterase appears through leukocytes. It is produced whenbegin their fight against any infections, for example, a bacterial one. If leukocyte esterase is present as a result of a urine test, then this indicates that there is inflammation. The body fights with it. Leukocytes are white cells. They move through the body through the blood fluid. Leukocytes have the ability to penetrate into the tissues of the body and its organs. They also destroy harmful bacteria.
You should know that white blood cells that have absorbed an infected bacterium die. Then they leave the body through urine.
Other causes
Why does leukocyte esterase appear in urine? Leukocytes can be present in urine not only when there is an inflammatory process. There are other cases as well. Leukocyte esterase in the urine can be in the human body and can be detected when passing a urine test, also in cases where there is no inflammatory process.
Basically, their presence is determined in the urine of women who are carrying a child. If leukocytes are determined in a pregnant woman, then she is assigned an additional study for nitrates. The presence of the latter suggests that the patient has some kind of inflammation in the body. Also, a pregnant woman is prescribed an ultrasound of the kidneys to confirm or refute pathological processes.
How many white blood cells are considered normal in the urine of a pregnant woman?
If, when examining the urine of a patient who is carrying a child,leukocytes are found, the number of which does not exceed 6, then this is considered the norm. But the excess of this indicator suggests that a woman needs to undergo additional research. You should know that pregnancy is a special state of the body. Therefore, leukocytes may exceed the norm, and there may not be an inflammatory process. During this period, it is possible that traces of leukocyte esterase will appear. The fact is that the body of a woman who bears a child is rebuilt. Therefore, various jumps of certain indicators are allowed. When a child is conceived, a lot of leukocytes are formed in the woman's uterus. This is how the body protects the fetus from possible infections.
You should be aware that after a certain period, the number of these elements should be reduced. If this does not happen, then the woman is assigned a deeper examination of the body. Its purpose is to determine the cause of the appearance of leukocytes. A woman may be prescribed special drugs that will reduce their level. The doctor will be faced with the task of determining the cause of their occurrence. If any pathology is found in a woman, then it will be necessary for her to prescribe treatment. It will bring her body back to normal. Urinalysis is the most common way to identify a pathological process during the period of bearing a baby.
Exceeding leukocyte counts may indicate that a woman has any pathological changes in the kidneys. Pregnant women are advised very carefullytreat the research of your body and fulfill all the doctor's prescriptions. The patient needs to remember that she should take care not only of herself, but also of the unborn child.
Leukocyte esterase. What does this mean in children?
If a child has an elevated level of leukocytes during the examination of urine, this means that he has an inflammatory process of the genitourinary system in his body. There are also a number of indications by which it can be determined that the human body is undergoing this pathology.
- Urine is dark or cloudy.
- Child frequently going to the toilet.
- Pain when urinating.
- The body temperature rises.
If the parents of a child have found the above signs in him, then they should immediately contact a medical institution for examination of the child and diagnosis. If this is not done in a timely manner, then there is a possibility that the disease may become chronic. You should know that neglected ailments are more difficult to treat. Therefore, after the diagnosis is made, therapy should be started immediately. There is a possibility that urine tests may be false negative. As a rule, this occurs with increased concentration of urine.
How is the urine test decoded?
In medicine, there is such a term as leukocyturia. It is used when there is an increased level in the human body.leukocyte level. You should be aware that tests may not show that these white bodies are present in the urine. If the test strips show that there is an inflammatory process in the human body, then this means that the level of leukocytes is significantly exceeded.
Pathologies
What pathologies can cause an increased number of leukocytes in the urine?
- Infectious processes that occur in the kidneys.
- Cystitis. This disease most often occurs in females.
- Urethritis. This pathology, as a rule, occurs in men.
- Pyelonephritis. This pathological process can occur in both women and men. This disease has its own peculiarity, namely, it is accompanied by pain in the back of the patient.
- Hematuria. With this disease, spotting appears in the urine.
- Pregnancy. This condition of a woman is accompanied by various changes in the body. These include the fact that the muscles lose their tone, and the bladder becomes larger in volume. As a result, the bladder may not empty completely. In the urine that remains in the bladder, bacteria begin to multiply. To combat them, the body produces more white blood cells.
- Surges in hormonal levels can also cause the appearance of leukocytes in a larger volume.
Indicators
If the urine becomes cloudy, and there is also a loose sediment in it, then this indicates that the level of leukocytes is increased.
For an accurate study, the patient is analyzed directly from the bladder through a special catheter. What indicators can be determined using this type of analysis?
- Urine may contain cells of an organ that is affected by a pathological process.
- If there are fatty elements in the urine, this indicates that the metabolic process is disturbed in the patient's kidneys.
- Eosinophils talk about the patient's allergy.
Conclusion
Now you know why leukocyte esterase appears in the urine, what it means, we also indicated. We also found out the causes of leukocytes in urine. We hope that this information was useful to you.
