Urates in urine are potassium and sodium s alts, which are determined in the sediment. Most often they are noted with malnutrition or violation of the drinking regimen. In more rare cases, these deposits appear in pathologies. Usually a person does not feel the presence of an increased amount of urates. They can only be identified through analysis. However, the increased content of such s alts is far from harmless. Over time, this can lead to the formation of stones or gout. In medicine, an increase in the allowable amount of urates is called uraturia or uric acid diathesis.
What are these s alts?
It often happens that an absolutely he althy person has an increased content of urates in the urine. What does it mean? Urates are potassium and sodium s alts of uric acid. With good filtration work of the kidneys, these compounds should not be present in the sediment. The acidity (pH) of urine plays an important role here. If the discharge has an excessively acidic reaction, then urates appear in the urine in large quantities. The alkaline environment is unfavorable for the formation of these s alts.
Purine andprotein compounds. They stimulate the formation of uric acid. With the abuse of food rich in purines and proteins, crystals are excreted in the urine - urates, which then precipitate and are determined during analysis.
Normal performance
Normally, the amount of urate in the urine should be zero. However, if a person occasionally has an extremely small amount of these s alts in the analysis, then this is not considered a pathology. However, even such a sign often worries doctors, because it indicates a weakening of the filtration work of the excretion system.
In the results of the analysis of urine, the content of urates is indicated by a plus sign ("+"). The norm is an indicator of no more than two pluses ("++") if such a result is determined once. If urates are constantly present in the urine, even in very small quantities, then this requires the appointment of a special diet.
Significant excess of the content of these s alts (the result of the analysis "+++" or "++++") indicates uraturia. In this case, the patient is recommended to undergo additional examinations.
Diagnosis
You can find out the content of urates in the urine by passing a routine clinical analysis. This study also measures protein, leukocyte, erythrocyte, oxalate and phosphate levels.
If the analysis reveals slightly elevated urates in the urine, then the study should be repeated. Such a deviation can be temporary, sometimes a small uraturia is caused by random causes. If uric acid s alts are excreted in large quantities and this deviation is constant, then it is necessary to examine the patient for diseases of the excretory organs and gout. An ultrasound of the kidneys, a urine test for bacterial culture, and a blood test for uric acid are prescribed.
Why are there deviations?
All causes of urate in the urine in adults and children can be divided into non-pathological and pathological. In the first case, uraturia is not associated with diseases, but is a consequence of malnutrition and lifestyle. Dealing with such a deviation is fairly easy.
If uraturia is only one of the symptoms of an acute or chronic pathology, then getting rid of it is more difficult. It is necessary to undergo a course of treatment for the underlying disease. Only after recovery or stable remission does the level of s alts in the urine return to normal.
Next, we will look at the main causes of uraturia in more detail.
Non-pathological
In most cases, uraturia is caused by malnutrition. If a person consumes an excessive amount of meat, fish, legumes, tomatoes, canned food, smoked meats, leafy vegetables, alcohol, then this leads to an increased indicator of s alts in urine. The situation is exacerbated if the patient drinks little fluid. With insufficient intake of water in the body, deposits are not washed out and accumulate.
With diarrhea, high air temperature, excessive physical activity, a lot of fluid leaves the body. This leads to dehydration. As a result, urine increasesconcentration of these s alts.
Anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics can also provoke uraturia. Excess consumption of preparations with B vitamins also leads to the release of urates.
Such reasons are easily eliminated. Urate s alts in the urine of an adult or child decrease to normal or disappear completely with diet, drinking enough water and drug withdrawal.
Pathological causes
In some cases, the release of uric acid s alts is associated with pathologies. The following diseases can provoke uraturia:
- gout;
- urolithiasis;
- glomerulonephritis;
- inflammatory pathologies of the genitourinary organs;
- leukemia;
- impaired blood supply to the excretory organs.
Such diseases disrupt the filtration function of the kidneys and lead to uraturia. With gout, the content of uric acid s alts is also increased in the blood, this pathology is accompanied by a serious metabolic disorder.
When Pregnant
Elevated urates are often found in the analysis of pregnant women. This is due to the fact that during the period of gestation, many patients suffer from toxicosis. This leads to vomiting and dehydration, resulting in an increase in the concentration of uric acid s alts.
Another reason for the increase in urates may be improper nutrition during pregnancy. The use of spicy and smoked foods, tomatoes, chocolate contributes to the formation of s alts. These foods should be excluded from the diet. You also need a fewlimit the consumption of fish and meat.
A common cause of uraturia in pregnant women is inadequate fluid intake. It is important to remember that during the period of gestation, the body's need for water increases.
Uraturia in children
In children, this ailment is most often observed with malnutrition. If the child is often fed fried, fatty and canned foods, this can lead to an increase in the amount of s alt in the urine sediment. Sweet soda, strong tea and chocolate can also bring harm.
Children are often prone to gastrointestinal infections and food poisoning. These pathologies are often accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea. Affected children have an increase in urate due to dehydration.
An increase in the amount of uric acid s alts can be one of the symptoms of helminthic invasion, genitourinary infections, intestinal dysbacteriosis. Uraturia should be of particular concern in cases where the parents or close relatives of the child have diabetes mellitus, obesity, gout and heart disease. In this case, the baby may have a hereditary predisposition to the formation of urate stones.
Why are they dangerous
The appearance of uric acid s alts in the analysis is a harbinger of urolithiasis. Over time, these deposits build up and transform into urate stones. Such formations lead to attacks of renal colic, which is expressed in severe unbearable pain in the lumbar region.
Another unpleasant consequence of uraturia canbecome gout. In this disease, uric acid s alts are deposited in the tissues. Pathology is accompanied by a strong pain syndrome, which develops due to damage to the joints.
Symptomatics
Increased urate content is most often asymptomatic. This abnormality is usually detected by chance during urinalysis. Signs of the disease become noticeable only when the s alts eventually turn into stones and get stuck in the ureters. The following symptoms appear:
- back pain;
- stinging and burning when urinating;
- nausea and vomiting;
- blood particles in urine;
- pinkish or brownish urine;
- high blood pressure.
If such manifestations occur, it is urgent to contact a urologist or nephrologist. These symptoms indicate the development of urolithiasis.
Urates of amorphous structure
Sometimes in the transcript of the analysis it is indicated that amorphous urates were found in the urine. What does it mean? Amorphous urates are s alts of uric acid that are in an unformed form. A sign of increased levels of these compounds is pinkish or brownish urine.
The presence of amorphous urates always indicates pathology. Such s alts in the urine are observed in glomerulonephritis, acute and chronic renal failure, congestive kidney, as well as in febrile conditions.
Medication treatment
First of all, the doctor prescribes a diet with a restriction of protein foods. Next, the rules of nutrition for urates in the urine will be considered. Treatment with medicines is aimed at removing and dissolving s alts. The following drugs are prescribed:
- Vegetable-based products: Canephron, Fitolizin, Urolesan. These drugs promote the elimination of uric acid s alts.
- Drug "Allopurinol". It reduces the production of uric acid and dissolves urate s alts.
- Vitamin-mineral remedy "Asparkam". This medicine breaks down urate deposits and removes them.
- Effervescent tablets "Blemaren". They help to remove urates. However, if phosphates are found in the patient along with uric acid s alts, then taking this medicine is not recommended.
It is also useful to drink decoctions of elderberry, horsetail, nettle, cowberry. Dried collections of these herbs are sold in pharmacy chains.
Urates lend themselves well to dissolution. Usually, the use of medicines and herbal decoctions leads to the complete removal of s alts.
Diet
Drug therapy must be combined with diet. Without this, it is impossible to achieve the effect of treatment.
The following foods are completely excluded from the diet:
- red meat;
- strong broths;
- canned food;
- chocolate;
- alcoholic drinks;
- margarine;
- animal fats;
- smoked meats;
- strong tea and coffee;
- yeast.
You should also limit the consumption of fish,cheeses, leafy crops, legumes, onions, cabbages.
When uraturia is recommended to include in the diet dishes from potatoes, oatmeal, nuts, sea kale, dried fruits, eggplant, pumpkin. Dairy products, grapes, apples and citrus fruits are also useful. Their use contributes to the alkaline reaction of urine, which creates unfavorable conditions for the formation of urates.
It is very important to drink at least 2 liters of pure water per day. This will help remove harmful s alts from the body.
Prevention
To avoid uraturia, you need to eat a balanced diet. You should not eat excessive amounts of protein foods (fatty meat and fish). It is also necessary to minimize the use of alcohol. It is the regular intake of alcoholic beverages in combination with meat snacks that most often causes an increase in urates.
You need to drink enough fluids throughout the day. With diarrhea and increased sweating, it is important to prevent dehydration and replenish the loss of water in time. A person needs to drink at least 1.5-2 liters of fluid per day. An active lifestyle also plays an important role in the prevention of uraturia. Motor activity prevents the deposition of s alts in organs and tissues.
If an elevated urate level is found in the urine, you should immediately consult a doctor. It may be necessary to prescribe a diet or a special course of treatment. This will help prevent such unpleasant and severe pathologies as urolithiasis and gout.
