Leukocyte esterase in urine - what does it mean? Urinalysis is one of the most common methods for studying the condition of the human body. Urine is studied chemically. In the process, the laboratory assistant receives information about the amount of sugar, protein, ketone bodies. Data on how many leukocytes and red blood cells are shown by a urinalysis under a microscope.
Medical study of leukocyte esterase
You should know that in the analysis of urine there may not be white blood cells. Bloody bodies may also be absent.
In order to determine their performance, it is necessary to examine the urine chemically. One such research method is tests. They are available in the form of strips. To detect the presence of white blood cells, such a strip is lowered into the urine. If the test is positive, it changes color.
What is it?
What is leukocyte esterase? Now we will examine in detail this topic. Esterase is called an enzyme. Leukocyte esterase appears through white blood cells. It is produced when the latter begin their fight against any infections, for example, of a bacterial nature. If leukocyte esterase is present as a result of a urinalysis, then this indicates that there is inflammation. The body fights with it. White blood cells are white cells. They move through the body through blood fluid. White blood cells have the property of penetrating into the tissues of the body and its organs. They also destroy harmful bacteria.
You should be aware that white blood cells that have swallowed an infected bacterium die. Then they leave the body through urine.
Other causes
Why does leukocyte esterase appear in urine? White blood cells can be present in urine not only when the inflammatory process is ongoing. There are other cases. Leukocyte esterase in urine can be in the human body and can be detected by passing a urine test also in cases where the inflammatory process is absent.
Basically, their presence is determined in the urine of women who have a baby. If a pregnant woman has white blood cells, then an additional study on nitrates is prescribed. 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 the pathological processes.
How many white blood cells are considered normal in the urine of a pregnant woman?
If when examining urine in a patient who is carrying a baby, white blood cells 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 condition of the body. Therefore, white blood cells may exceed normal values, 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 is carrying a child is being rebuilt. Therefore, various leaps of various indicators are allowed. When a baby is conceived, many white blood cells form in the woman’s uterus. So the body protects the fetus from possible infections.
You should know that after a certain period the number of these elements should be reduced. If this does not happen, then the woman is assigned a more in-depth study of the body. Its purpose is to determine the cause of the appearance of white blood cells. A woman may be prescribed special drugs that will lower their level. The doctor will face the task of determining the cause of their occurrence. If a woman is found to have some kind of pathology, then it will be necessary to prescribe treatment. It will bring her body back to normal. Urinalysis is the most common way to identify the pathological process during the period of gestation.
Excess leukocyte counts may indicate that the woman has any pathological changes in the kidneys. Pregnant women are advised to be very attentive to the studies of their body and follow 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's urine test reveals an increased level of white blood cells, then this means that he has an inflammatory process of the genitourinary system in his body. There is also a number of indications by which it can be determined that the human body is exposed to this pathology.
- Urine of a dark shade or muddy consistency.
- Frequent going to the toilet.
- Pain during urination.
- Body temperature rises.
If the child’s parents found the above symptoms in him, they should immediately contact a medical institution to examine the child and make a diagnosis. If you do not do this in a timely manner, then there is a possibility that the disease can go into a chronic form. You should know that running ailments are treated more difficult. Therefore, after diagnosis, therapy should be started immediately. There is a possibility that urine tests may be false negative. As a rule, this occurs with an increased concentration of urine.
How is the decoding of urine research?
In medicine, there is such a term as leukocyturia. It is used when an increased level of white blood cells is present in the human body. You should be aware that tests may not show that these white bodies are in the urine. If the test strips show that an inflammatory process is going on in the human body, this means that the level of leukocytes is significantly exceeded.
Pathology
What pathologies can cause an increased number of white blood cells in the urine?
- Infectious processes that occur in the kidneys.
- Cystitis. This disease most often occurs in women.
- 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. They include the fact that the muscles lose their tone, and the bladder becomes larger in volume. As a result, the bladder may not empty out completely. In the urine, which remains in the bladder, bacteria begin to multiply. To combat them, the body produces white blood cells in a larger volume.
- Hormonal jumps can also cause the appearance of white blood cells in a larger volume.
Indicators
If the urine becomes cloudy, and there is also a loose precipitate in it, then this indicates that the level of leukocytes is increased.
For an accurate examination, the patient is taken directly from the bladder using a special catheter. What indicators can be determined using this type of analysis?
- In the urine, there may be cells of an organ that is affected by a pathological process.
- If there are fatty elements in the urine, then this indicates that the metabolic process is disturbed in the patient's kidneys.
- Eosinophils talk about patient allergies.
Conclusion
Now you know why leukocyte esterase appears in the urine, what this means, we also indicated. We also found out the causes of white blood cells in urine. We hope you find this information useful.