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Protein details
What Protein shows
Healthy kidneys keep most protein in your blood, so only small amounts normally reach the urine. This urinalysis result is usually a dipstick screen for protein, mainly albumin, in a urine sample. It is measured to look for possible kidney damage or stress, including from diabetes or high blood pressure. A positive result can point to kidney disease, but it can also appear temporarily with fever, intense exercise, dehydration or a urinary infection. A very concentrated or dilute sample also affects the reading. A positive dipstick does not confirm kidney disease on its own and is usually followed by a quantitative protein or albumin test.
Tests that include Protein
This test is crucial for checking the chemical makeup of urine and its connection to different health conditions. It includes a dipstick test to quickly identify various substances in the urine and a microscopic exam to spot cells and other elements that shouldn't be there.
Biomarkers
- Amorphous Sediment Reports amorphous crystals in a urine sample, shapeless mineral deposits that form as urine cools and are usually not a sign of disease.
- Appearance Describes how clear or cloudy your urine sample looks, a basic part of urinalysis that can hint at infection, crystals or other particles.
- Bacteria Reports whether bacteria are seen in your urine sample, a clue to a possible urinary tract infection that is interpreted with other urine results.
- Bilirubin Checks for bilirubin in your urine, which is normally absent and can appear when the liver or bile ducts are not working properly.
- Calcium Oxalate Crystals Reports calcium oxalate crystals seen when a urine sample is examined under the microscope, which can be normal or linked to kidney stone risk.
- Casts Reports casts seen when a urine sample is examined under the microscope; casts form in the kidney's tubules and some types can point to kidney problems.
- Color Describes the color of your urine sample, a simple first observation in a urinalysis that can reflect hydration, foods, medications or substances such as blood.
- Crystals Looks for crystals in your urine under the microscope, which are often harmless but can sometimes relate to kidney stones, metabolism or medications.
- Glucose (Urine) Checks for glucose in your urine as part of a urinalysis, which can point to high blood sugar or, less often, a kidney handling problem.
- Granular Casts Granular casts are tiny particles seen under the microscope in urine; increased numbers can point to kidney tubule injury or kidney disease.
- Hyaline Casts Clear, cylinder-shaped protein structures formed in the kidney tubules, counted in urine microscopy as one of several clues to kidney function and hydration.
- Ketones Detects ketones in urine, substances made when your body burns fat for energy, used to look at fasting, low-carbohydrate diets, and diabetes control.
- Leukocyte Esterase Detects leukocyte esterase, an enzyme released by white blood cells, in urine, used as a sign of white cells that can point to a urinary tract infection.
- Nitrite Checks your urine for nitrite, which is produced when certain bacteria are present, as a screening sign of a urinary tract infection.
- Occult Checks your urine for hidden (occult) blood using a dipstick that reacts to hemoglobin from red blood cells, even when urine looks normal.
- pH Measures how acidic or alkaline your urine is, a routine part of urinalysis that can reflect diet, kidney handling of acid, and some infections.
- Protein A urinalysis screen for protein in your urine, used to look for signs that the kidneys may be leaking protein.
- Red Blood Cells (RBC), Urine Counts red blood cells seen under the microscope in your urine, used to look for bleeding anywhere in the kidneys or urinary tract.
- Renal Epithelial Cells Counts renal epithelial cells seen under the microscope in your urine, cells from the kidney tubules that can signal kidney injury.
- Specific Gravity Measures how concentrated your urine is compared with water, giving a quick look at hydration and the kidneys' ability to concentrate or dilute urine.
- Squamous Epithelial Cells Counts squamous epithelial cells in a urine sample, mainly showing whether the sample was contaminated by skin cells from the outer genital area.
- Transitional Epithelial Cells Counts transitional epithelial cells in urine, cells that line the bladder and urinary tract, as part of a routine urine microscopy.
- Triple Phosphate Crystals Detects triple phosphate (struvite) crystals in urine, which usually form in alkaline urine and can be linked to certain urinary infections.
- Uric Acid Crystals Detects uric acid crystals in a urine sample, which tend to form in acidic urine and can be linked to uric acid kidney stones.
- White Blood Cells (WBC), Urine Counts white blood cells in a urine sample, used mainly to look for inflammation or infection in the urinary tract.
- Yeast Reports yeast cells seen in a urine sample under the microscope, which can point to a yeast infection or to contamination of the sample.
This test uses a dipstick to analyze the chemical makeup of urine. It's a key tool for spotting health issues related to the chemicals found in urine.
Biomarkers
- Appearance Describes how clear or cloudy your urine sample looks, a basic part of urinalysis that can hint at infection, crystals or other particles.
- Bilirubin Checks for bilirubin in your urine, which is normally absent and can appear when the liver or bile ducts are not working properly.
- Color Describes the color of your urine sample, a simple first observation in a urinalysis that can reflect hydration, foods, medications or substances such as blood.
- Glucose (Urine) Checks for glucose in your urine as part of a urinalysis, which can point to high blood sugar or, less often, a kidney handling problem.
- Ketones Detects ketones in urine, substances made when your body burns fat for energy, used to look at fasting, low-carbohydrate diets, and diabetes control.
- Leukocyte Esterase Detects leukocyte esterase, an enzyme released by white blood cells, in urine, used as a sign of white cells that can point to a urinary tract infection.
- Nitrite Checks your urine for nitrite, which is produced when certain bacteria are present, as a screening sign of a urinary tract infection.
- Occult Checks your urine for hidden (occult) blood using a dipstick that reacts to hemoglobin from red blood cells, even when urine looks normal.
- pH Measures how acidic or alkaline your urine is, a routine part of urinalysis that can reflect diet, kidney handling of acid, and some infections.
- Protein A urinalysis screen for protein in your urine, used to look for signs that the kidneys may be leaking protein.
- Specific Gravity Measures how concentrated your urine is compared with water, giving a quick look at hydration and the kidneys' ability to concentrate or dilute urine.
This test is used to detect and manage a wide range of disorders, such as urinary tract infections, kidney disease, and diabetes.
Biomarkers
- Appearance Describes how clear or cloudy your urine sample looks, a basic part of urinalysis that can hint at infection, crystals or other particles.
- Bilirubin Checks for bilirubin in your urine, which is normally absent and can appear when the liver or bile ducts are not working properly.
- Color Describes the color of your urine sample, a simple first observation in a urinalysis that can reflect hydration, foods, medications or substances such as blood.
- Glucose (Urine) Checks for glucose in your urine as part of a urinalysis, which can point to high blood sugar or, less often, a kidney handling problem.
- Ketones Detects ketones in urine, substances made when your body burns fat for energy, used to look at fasting, low-carbohydrate diets, and diabetes control.
- Leukocyte Esterase Detects leukocyte esterase, an enzyme released by white blood cells, in urine, used as a sign of white cells that can point to a urinary tract infection.
- Nitrite Checks your urine for nitrite, which is produced when certain bacteria are present, as a screening sign of a urinary tract infection.
- Occult Checks your urine for hidden (occult) blood using a dipstick that reacts to hemoglobin from red blood cells, even when urine looks normal.
- pH Measures how acidic or alkaline your urine is, a routine part of urinalysis that can reflect diet, kidney handling of acid, and some infections.
- Protein A urinalysis screen for protein in your urine, used to look for signs that the kidneys may be leaking protein.
- Specific Gravity Measures how concentrated your urine is compared with water, giving a quick look at hydration and the kidneys' ability to concentrate or dilute urine.
- Urobilinogen, Semi-Qn Measures urobilinogen in urine, a breakdown product of bilirubin, as part of a urinalysis that helps look at liver function and red cell breakdown.
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