Ketone bodies are the name of the three compounds (beta-oxobutyric acid, acetone and acetoacetic acid). Under normal conditions, these substances are found in the body in small doses, excreted in the urine and are not detected during analysis. However, this applies to the situation when all processes are normal. It is in standard situations that ketone bodies are destroyed quite quickly. But with increased lipid metabolism, the rate of formation of these compounds exceeds the rate of their destruction. This type of metabolic disorder is called ketosis. If ketone bodies accumulate in a significant amount in a child, then blood acidification occurs, which is called ketoacidosis.
If ketone bodies in urine in children are observed in an increased amount, there may be several reasons. First of all, this is caused by a deficiency of glucose, as a result of which the active expenditure of body fat begins. In order for the breakdown of lipids to be complete, oxalacetic acid is necessary, which can be obtained by splitting glucose. Since the body cannot produce it in sufficient doses, another process of fat breakdown is activated, which causes the formation of a large number of ketone bodies, which are excreted during breathing and urine.
Ketone bodies can appear as a result of the development of pathological processes that are accompanied by a deficiency of glucose:
- Uncompensated diabetes.
- Starvation.
- Eating foods that are low in carbohydrates.
- The development of infectious processes of a high degree of severity.
- Coma.
- Girke's disease.
- Diseases caused by increased levels of corticosteroids.
- Thyrotoxicosis.
The fact is that the amount of glucose reserves in the children's liver is very small, because a strong energy consumption leads to the fact that ketone bodies increase in their numbers much faster than it does in adults.
Since the number of ketone bodies under normal conditions is very small, a routine urinalysis cannot detect them. When a large amount of these compounds accumulates in the urine, the reactions during the analysis become positive, ketonuria develops, which in medicine is considered a pathology.
Ketone bodies in the urine during pregnancy, as a rule, appear due to certain malfunctions in the body. So, this can cause a violation of carbohydrate metabolism, as well as the metabolism of fats and proteins. Also, this situation can be caused by early toxicosis, which, as a result of improper treatment, can cause complications during pregnancy. Ketone bodies poison the body, which is why there are so many problems.
Very often, ketone bodies in the urine of a pregnant woman are the result of sudden weight loss, as well as metabolic disorders, malnutrition and malfunctioning of the liver. That is why the expectant mother is assigned to conduct a biochemical blood test to correctly diagnose the cause.
Remember that the appearance of ketone bodies is the result of oxidative processes. This chemical reaction occurs because these bodies are made up of acetone. Therefore, during the entire period of pregnancy, it is necessary to constantly monitor the diet, not to eat those products that can harm your baby or you.
However, after reading the test results in which the ketone bodies are above the norm, one should not panic. Sometimes some changes of this kind can be caused by a diet or the use of drugs of a certain group. Therefore, doctors prescribe in this case a second urinalysis.