Leukocyte esterase in the urine - what is it? Leukocyte esterase in urinalysis: decoding

Leukocyte esterase in urine - what does it mean? Urinalysis is one of the most common methods of studying the state of the human body. Urine is investigated chemically. In the process, the laboratory assistant receives information about the amount of sugar, protein, ketone bodies. Data on how many white blood cells and red blood cells show urine 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 indicators, it is necessary to examine urine chemically. One of such methods of research are tests. They are available in the form of strips. To detect the presence of leukocytes, this strip falls into the urine. With a positive result of the analysis, it changes color.

What is it?

What is leukocyte esterase? Now we will look into this topic in detail. An enzyme is called an esterase. Leukocyte esterase appears through leukocytes. It is developed when the latter begin their struggle with any infections, for example bacterial character. If leukocyte esterase is present as a result of a urinalysis, then this indicates that there is inflammation. With him, the body fights. White blood cells are white cells. They move through the body through the blood fluid. Leukocytes have the property of penetration into the tissues of the body and its organs. They also destroy bacteria of a harmful nature.

You should know that the white blood cells that have absorbed the infected bacterium die. Then they leave the body through urine.

Other causes

Why does leukocyte esterase appear in the urine? Leukocytes can be present in urine not only when there is an inflammatory process. There are other cases. Leukocyte esterase in the urine can be found in the human body and can be detected by passing urine analysis also in those cases when the inflammatory process is absent.

Basically, their presence is determined in the urine of women who are carrying the baby. If a pregnant woman has leukocytes, then she is assigned an additional study for nitrates. The presence of the latter suggests that the patient has some kind of inflammation in the body. Also, a pregnant woman is assigned an ultrasound scan to confirm or disprove pathological processes.

How many leukocytes are considered the norm in the urine of a pregnant woman?

If in the study of urine in a patient who carries a child, leukocytes are found, the number of which does not exceed 6, then this is considered the norm. But the excess of this indicator indicates that the woman needs to undergo additional research. You should know that pregnancy is a special condition of the body. Therefore, leukocytes may exceed the normal values, and the inflammatory process may not be. 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 baby is being rebuilt. Therefore, various jumps of these or other indicators are allowed. When the conception of a child occurs, a lot of leukocytes form in the womb of the woman. 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, the woman is assigned a deeper examination of the body. Its purpose is to determine the cause of the appearance of leukocytes. A woman can be prescribed special drugs that will lower their level. The doctor will have to determine the cause of their occurrence. If a woman has any pathology, then it will be necessary to prescribe her treatment. It will bring her body back to normal. Urine examination is the most common way of revealing the pathological process in the period of gestation of the baby.

Excess of white blood cell counts can indicate that a woman has any pathological changes in the kidneys. Pregnant women should be very careful about researching their body and performing all the doctor's prescriptions. The patient needs to remember that she should take care not only about herself, but also about the future child.

Leukocyte esterase. What does this mean for children?

If a child has an elevated white blood cell count when examining his urine, it means that he has an inflammatory process in the body of the genitourinary system. There are also a number of indications on which it can be determined that the human body is exposed to this pathology.

1. Urine of a dark shade or a dull consistence.
2. Frequent walking of the child to the toilet.
3. Painful sensations during the process of urination.
4. The body temperature rises.

If the child's parents discovered the above signs, they should immediately contact the medical institution for a child's examination and diagnosis. If you do not do it in a timely manner, then there is a possibility that the disease can go into a chronic form. You should know that neglected diseases are treated more difficultly. Therefore, after the diagnosis is made, the therapy should be started immediately. There is a chance that urinalysis can be false-negative. As a rule, this occurs with an increased concentration of urine.

How does the study of urine occur?

In medicine there is a term such as leukocyturia. It is used when there is an elevated level of leukocytes in the human body. You should know that the tests may not show that there are these white corpuscles in the urine. If the test strips show that there is an inflammatory process in the body, this means that the level of leukocytes is significantly exceeded.

Pathologies

What pathologies can cause an increased number of white blood cells in the urine?

1. Infectious processes that occur in the kidneys.
2. Cystitis. This disease most often occurs in women.
3. Urethritis. This pathology, as a rule, occurs in men.
4. Pyelonephritis. This pathological process can occur both in women and in men. This disease has its own peculiarity, namely, it is accompanied by pain in the back of the patient.
5. Hematuria. With this disease in the urine there are spotting.
6. Pregnancy. This condition of the woman is accompanied by various changes in the body. They include that the muscles lose their tone, and the bladder becomes larger in volume. As a result, the bladder can not be completely emptied. In the urine, which remains in the bladder, the bacteria begin to multiply. To combat them, the body produces leukocytes in a larger volume.
7. Hops of the hormonal background can also cause the appearance of leukocytes in a larger volume.

Indicators

If the urine becomes cloudy and there is a loose sediment in it, this indicates that the level of leukocytes is increased.

For an accurate study, the patient is taken directly from the bladder via a special catheter. What indicators can be determined using this type of analysis?

1. In the urine can be present cells of the body, which is affected by the pathological process.
2. If there are fatty elements in the urine, then this indicates that the metabolic process is disturbed in the kidneys of the patient.
3. Eosinophils talk about the patient's allergy.

Conclusion

Now you know why leukocyte esterase appears in the urine, which means, we also indicated. Also, we found out the causes of the appearance in urine of leukocytes. We hope that this information was useful to you.