- What is the EAS exam for
- 24-hour urinalysis
- Type 1 urine test reference values
- Ascorbic acid in urine
- How to prepare for the urine test
- Urine test to detect pregnancy
The urine test, also known as a type 1 urine test or EAS (Abnormal Sediment Elements) test, is an examination usually requested by doctors to identify changes in the urinary and renal system and should be done by analyzing the first urine of the day, since it is more concentrated.
The collection of urine for the exam can be done at home and does not require fasting, but it must be taken to the laboratory within 2 hours to be analyzed. The type 1 urine test is one of the tests most requested by the doctor, as it informs various aspects of the person's health, in addition to being quite simple and painless.
In addition to the EAS, there are other tests that evaluate urine, such as the 24-hour urine test and the examination and urine culture, in which the pee is analyzed in order to identify the presence of bacteria or fungi.
What is the EAS exam for
The EAS exam is requested by the doctor to assess the urinary and renal system, being useful to identify urinary infections and kidney problems, such as kidney stones and kidney failure, for example. Thus, the EAS test serves to analyze some physical, chemical aspects and the presence of abnormal elements in the urine, such as:
- Physical aspects: color, density and appearance; Chemical aspects: pH, nitrites, glucose, proteins, ketones, bilirubins and urobilinogen; Abnormal elements: blood, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, sperm, mucus filaments, cylinders and crystals.
In addition, in the urine exam, the presence and quantity of leukocytes and epithelial cells in the urine is checked.
The collection to perform the urine test can be done in the laboratory or at home and the first morning urine should be collected, ignoring the first stream. Before carrying out the collection, it is important to clean the intimate area with soap and water to avoid contamination of the sample. After urine collection, the container must be taken to the laboratory within 2 hours for analysis to be carried out.
24-hour urinalysis
The 24-hour urine test helps to identify small changes in urine throughout the day and is done by accumulating all the urine eliminated during the day in a large container. Then, this sample is taken to the laboratory and analyzes are performed to check its composition and quantity, helping to identify changes such as kidney filtration problems, protein loss and even pre-eclampsia in pregnancy. Learn more about the 24-hour urine test.
Type 1 urine test reference values
The reference values for the type 1 urine test should be:
- pH: 5.5 and 7.5; Density: from 1.005 to 1.030 Characteristics: Absence of glucose, proteins, ketones, bilirubin, urobilinogen, blood and nitrite, some (few) leukocytes and rare epithelial cells.
If the urine test reveals positive nitrite, the presence of blood and numerous leukocytes, for example, it may be indicative of urinary tract infection, but only the urine culture test confirms the presence or not of infection. However, the type 1 urine test should not be used alone for the diagnosis of any urinary problem. Understand what is uroculture and how it is made.
Ascorbic acid in urine
Normally, the amount of ascorbic acid in the urine (vitamin C) is also measured in order to verify whether or not there was interference in the result of hemoglobin, glucose, nitrites, bilirubins and ketones, for example.
The increase in the amount of ascorbic acid in the urine may be due to the use of vitamin C drugs or supplements or the excessive consumption of foods rich in vitamin C.
How to prepare for the urine test
Generally, no special care is needed before taking the urine test, however some doctors may ask you to avoid using vitamin C supplements, anthraquinone laxatives or antibiotics, such as Metronidazole, a few days before, since can change the results.
It is also important to correctly collect the urine, since the collection of the first stream or the lack of proper hygiene can lead to results that do not reflect the patient's condition. In addition, it is not advisable for women to have a urine test during their menstrual period, as the results can be altered.
Urine test to detect pregnancy
There is a urine test that detects pregnancy through the amount of the hormone hCG in the urine. This test is reliable, however when the test is done too early or incorrectly the result can go wrong. The ideal time for this test to be done is 1 day after the day when menstruation should have appeared, and should be done using the first morning urine, as this hormone is more concentrated in the urine.
Even when the test is performed at the right time, the result may be false negative because the body may not yet have produced the hormone hCG in sufficient quantities to be detected. In this case, a new test must be done after 1 week. This urine test is specific to detect pregnancy, so other urine tests such as type 1 urine test or urine culture, for example, do not detect pregnancy.
