What Does Each Part of the Urine Dipstick Test Tell You About Your Body
In our previous article, we talked about how to do a DIY urine dipstick test and what are the warning signs for when you should see a doctor. Here we break down the individual parts of the urine dipstick test and tell you what do those results mean. In the meantime, if you missed our first article, you can go back to read about how to perform and read your dipstick results.
Urine Urobilinogen DIY Test
Wait 60 Seconds – Expected result: less than 1mg/dl)
- It is normal for your urine to contain some urobilinogen. If there is little or no urobilinogen in your urine, it can mean your liver is not working correctly.
- This test is only one measure of your liver function. If your doctor thinks you might have a liver disease, additional urine and blood tests may be ordered.
Urine Glucose DIY Test
Wait 30 Seconds – g/dL (%) – Expected result: Negative
- Glucose is not normally in the urine.
- Positive urine glucose test result could indicate diabetes or renal glycosuria and calls for follow-up testing for diabetes.
Urine Bilirubin DIY Test
Wait 30 Seconds – Expected result: Negative
- The detection of bilirubin in the urine is an early indication of liver disease such as hepatitis, a blockage in the liver drainage system, or a problem with your general liver function.
Urine Ketone DIY Test
Wait 40 Seconds – Expected result: Negative
- Measures ketone levels in your urine.
- Presence of ketones in the urine suggests increased fatty acid metabolism, which occurs during starvation and in conditions such as diabetic ketoacidosis.
Urine Specific Gravity DIY Test
Wait 45 Seconds – Expected Results: at 1.000, normal range 1.002 – 1.035
- Causes of low specific gravity include conditions that result in the production of dilute urine, i.e. diabetes insipidus and acute tubular necrosis.
- Causes of high specific gravity include dehydration, glycosuria (e.g. diabetes mellitus) and proteinuria (e.g. nephrotic syndrome).
Blood in Urine DIY Test
Wait 60 Seconds – Expected result: Negative
- Blood in the urine may indicate Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), kidney stones, cancers of the urinary tract, nephritic syndrome and/or strenuous exercise.
- False-positive reactions due to menstrual contamination may be seen.
Urine pH level DIY Test
Wait 60 Seconds – Expected result: 5, normal range 4.5 – 8
- Causes of low urinary pH include starvation, diabetic ketoacidosis and other conditions that cause metabolic acidosis (e.g. sepsis, high protein diet).
- Causes of high urinary pH include urinary tract infection, conditions that cause metabolic alkalosis (e.g. vomiting) and medications (e.g. diuretics).
Urine Protein DIY Test
Wait 60 Seconds – Expected result: Negative
- Causes for protein in urine includes nephritic syndrome and chronic kidney disease.
- This test can also be used to monitor kidney status in persons who are already diagnosed with kidney diseases.
Urine Nitrites DIY Test
Wait 60 Seconds – Expected result: Negative
- The presence of nitrites in the urine is suggestive of urinary tract infection.
Urine Leukocytes DIY Test
Wait 2 Minutes – Expected result: Negative
- The detection of white blood cells (WBCs) in the urine may be a sign of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).
- Kidney stones or a blockage in the urinary tract can also cause more leukocytes to be in your urine.