Two general standpoints may be considered in the routine urinalysis. First is for the management and diagnosis of renal or urinary tract disease and second, the detection of systemic or metabolic diseases indirectly to the kidney.

Routine urinalysis is composed of four parts:

• SPECIMEN EVALUATION – this implies specimen acceptability. Proper specimen labeling, proper use of preservative and any transportation delays in getting the specimen to the laboratory are some considerations to consider.
• PHYSICAL TESTS – these include color, odor, volume, osmolality and specific gravity of urine.
  • Color- urochrome is a pigment responsible for the normal color of urine that varies from pale yellow to amber and this is also due to small amounts of pigments uroerythrin and urobilins. Any abnormalities in color maybe a cause of a renal disease or just a physiologic cause from food intake or medicine.
  • Odor – faint aromatic scent is normal, a change in odor like foul or ammoniacal indicates bacterial contamination.
  • Volume – adult daily average volume of urine ranges from 1.2 Liters to 1.5 Liters.
  • Osmolality –500 to 850 mOsm/kg of urine will be produced by an individual in a regular diet taking 8 to 10 glasses of water a day.
  • Specific gravity – this varies from 1.016 to 1.022 during a 24-hour period.
• CHEMICAL EVALUATIONS
  • pH in urine – this is an indication of the capability of the kidney to sustain normal hydrogen ion concentration in plasma and extracellular fluid.
  • Protein – occurrence of this in urine may arise after a tough exercise or dehydration or patients with urinary tract infection, hemorrhage or with fever.
  • Glucose – in a typical urine sample, glucose is absent but this maybe present in the urine if blood glucose level exceeds 180 to 200 mg/dl.
• SEDIMENT EXAMINATION – this is done through the use of a microscope and usually for the detection of diseases of the kidney. Presence of casts, increase amount of pus cells, blood cells or bacteria indicate urinary tract infection and/or a renal disease.

Routine urinalysis also has two major components: the macroscopic and the microscopic testing. Available reagent strips are being used for the macroscopic examination that includes the chemical and physical tests of urine.

• Steps for Macroscopic Routine Urinalysis

1. Examine and evaluate urine specimen. Properly label, indicate name, age, gender of owner and record time received, volume and color.
2. Pour 10-15ml of urine in a centrifuge tube and take note on the report if the volume is less than the required volume.
3. Determine transparency or clarity as to clear, slightly turbid or turbid.
4. Determine specific gravity, pH, glucose and protein with the use of reagent strips. Compare strips to color chart and record results.
5. Prepare urine specimen for microscopic test.

• Steps for Microscopic Routine Urinalysis

1. Centrifuge urine sample of 10-15ml in a tube for about 5 minutes.
2. After centrifugation, carefully tilt the tube bottoms up to separate sediments from the supernatant. Save the supernatant for possible retesting.
3. Gently suspend the sediment on a glass slide and place a cover slip on top of it.
4. Examine under low power objective in at least 10 low power fields sediments with low refractive index like, epithelial cells, mucus threads, urates, casts, crystals and bacteria. Report as few, moderate or many.
5. Red blood cells and pus cells are identified and counted under a high power objective in at least 10 high power fields. Report as cell/hpf.
6. Comment and take note for presence of large amount of crystals, bacteria, yeast or any microorganism. Perform confirmatory test if needed.

Review results, make a report on the test then affix your signature on the form to determine examiner.

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If you suspect you have hepatitis, the hepatitis laboratory tests will help you confirm your suspicions. The liver problem is due to virus but alcohol, drugs, chemicals and autoimmune and inherited disease can also cause the inflammation. Although the illness can go for several years untreated, if you keep on ignoring the symptoms, it can worsen to liver cirrhosis, cancer and even death. To prevent the complications, here are the possible hepatitis laboratory tests you can requests.

Blood Chemistry

When you see the yellowish discoloration in your skin or feel pain in the right upper quadrant of your abdomen, your physician may request for hepatitis laboratory tests to rule out liver problems. Some of the important blood tests include serum bilirubin determination, proteins, the liver enzyme levels and test for coagulation. During a liver problem, you will expect an elevated level of these substances. When correlated with the signs and symptoms you present, they help your doctor make a better diagnosis on your condition.

Serological Tests

To make a more definite diagnosis, the serological types of hepatitis laboratory tests are more confirmatory than the blood chemistry tests. They detect for the presence of the antigen of the virus or for the antibodies produced in response to the microorganisms. Different kits are available from manufacturers to detect the specific virus causing the inflammation. The test requires blood specimen extracted by a qualified medical technologist. You just have to wait for a few minutes to get the result of your hepatitis laboratory tests.

Biopsy

If the two hepatitis laboratory tests remain inconclusive, your doctor may use liver biopsy as another option to detect the cause of the problem. The doctor will insert a needle to aspirate a sample of the liver cells and the pathologist will do the microscopic examination. Because the procedure is an invasive method, it is very seldom requested.

If you think you have hepatitis, consult your doctor at once to get an accurate diagnosis.

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Doctors request for a laboratory test to help them confirm a medical diagnosis. If they have doubts about the possible illness of their patients, the laboratory tests will confirm or negate their initial diagnosis. Laboratory results are useful documents for your physicians. However, if you are the patient, the fear of undergoing the examination can cause undue stress. If as adults, you feel the discomforts brought about by the procedure, then children experience triple apprehensions. Children fear seeing people in white gowns approaching them with a syringe in hand. Just the thought of this can cause trauma to a child. To help your kid get through this anxiety, here are the things you can do.

Talk to the Child

The most important laboratory preparation is talking to the child. Explain the need for the laboratory test. Tell him about its importance and its effect on his health. Use words appropriate to their level of understanding. Before explaining everything to them, make sure that you do a research about the procedure. This is to prepare yourself for their potential questions. If it is possible, you can also request the laboratory personnel or the doctor to explain the procedure to the child. With information, they can understand better and be more cooperative during the laboratory test.

Do not Give False Assurance

A big no in preparing your child for laboratory test is by giving him false assurance. Never assure him that the procedure will not hurt if you know that it will. False information is not a good way to appease his fear. If you deceive him with little things, he/she will lose his trust in you. The next time he has to undergo another laboratory procedure, his fear will only be greater. To help him release the tension, explain the whole procedure and the feeling associated with it. Tell him what to expect during the laboratory test. Stay as honest as possible in explaining.

Give them a Laboratory Tour

Providing a time for the child to meet the medical technologist can help reduce his fear. Bring your child to the laboratory and introduce him to the medical technologist on duty. You can also ask the staff if it is possible to give your kid a tour in the area. Familiarization is an effective way to take away his anxiety. Introduce him to other patients who undergo the same procedure.

Address their Fears

A child has his own fears. When he voices out his worries, listen to him, never ignore his fears,.. Do not simply say that everything will be fine. Explain that the fear is a common feeling but he has to face it. Assure him that you will be with him throughout the laboratory test. He does not have to face his fears alone. You are just around in case he needs your support.

An anxious child during a laboratory test are common is a scenario. For parents, helping your child cope with it reduces their trepidation. When you follow the tips, you can be sure that your child will be more cooperative.

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