A urinalysis is one of the most ordered lab tests in medicine — and one of the most misunderstood by patients. The report contains 10 to 20 parameters covering physical properties, chemical composition, and microscopic sediment. Here's what every result actually means.
What Is a Urinalysis (UA)
A urinalysis evaluates three aspects of urine simultaneously: physical properties (colour, clarity, specific gravity), chemical markers (protein, glucose, pH, nitrites, ketones), and microscopic sediment (cells, casts, bacteria, crystals).
From a single test, a doctor can identify urinary tract infections, kidney disease, diabetes, kidney stones, and several other conditions.
Physical Properties: Normal Ranges
Colour
Normal: pale to medium yellow. Dark urine suggests dehydration or jaundice. Reddish — blood, beetroot, or certain medications. Cloudy or whitish — possible infection.
Clarity
Normal: clear. Turbidity appears with bacteria, leukocytes, salt crystals, or excess mucus.
pH (Acidity)
| Group | Normal pH range |
|---|---|
| Adults | 5.0–7.0 |
Acidic pH (< 5): meat-heavy diet, fasting, metabolic acidosis. Alkaline pH (> 7): vegetarian diet, UTI, renal tubular acidosis.
Specific Gravity (Density)
| Adults | 1.010–1.025 g/mL |
|---|
High specific gravity: dehydration, diabetes mellitus. Low: kidney failure, diabetes insipidus, excessive fluid intake.
Chemical Parameters: Normals and Deviations
Protein
Normal: up to 0.033 g/L (trace or negative).
Elevated (proteinuria) in: kidney disease (glomerulonephritis, nephropathy), infections, intense exercise, preeclampsia in pregnancy. See the article "Protein in Urine" for a full breakdown.
Glucose
Normal: absent (negative).
Glucose in urine (glycosuria) appears when blood sugar exceeds the renal threshold of ~10 mmol/L. Most commonly a sign of diabetes mellitus or gestational diabetes.
Leukocytes
Normal: up to 5 per HPF (men), up to 10 (women).
Elevated (leukocyturia) in: cystitis, pyelonephritis, urethritis, kidney stones. Full guide in the article "Leukocytes in Urine."
Red Blood Cells (Haematuria)
Normal: 0–2 per high-power field.
Elevated in: kidney stones (stone irritates the urinary lining), glomerulonephritis, urinary tract tumours, cystitis, trauma. In women — always rule out menstrual contamination first.
Nitrites
Normal: negative.
Nitrites appear when bacteria in the urine convert nitrates. A positive result is a marker of bacterial infection (UTI, pyelonephritis). Combined with elevated leukocytes — high specificity for UTI.
Ketones
Normal: negative.
Appear with fasting, low-carb diets, intense exercise. In diabetes — a possible sign of ketoacidosis. See the article "Ketones in Urine."
Bilirubin and Urobilinogen
Normal: bilirubin — negative; urobilinogen — trace (up to 10 µmol/L).
Elevated bilirubin: liver or bile duct disease. Elevated urobilinogen: haemolysis (red blood cell destruction) or liver pathology.
Microscopic Sediment: Normal Ranges
| Parameter | Normal Range |
|---|---|
| Leukocytes | up to 5 (men) / up to 10 (women) per HPF |
| Red blood cells | 0–2 per HPF |
| Hyaline casts | occasional (0–1) |
| Granular casts | absent |
| Bacteria | absent |
| Mucus | small amount |
| Crystals / salts | small amount |
Granular and waxy casts are a significant finding indicating renal tubular damage — always require medical evaluation.
How to Collect Urine Correctly
Incorrect collection causes half of all false-positive results:
- Collect a mid-stream morning urine sample in a sterile pharmacy container
- Clean the genital area thoroughly without soap before collection
- Women should use a tampon; do not collect during menstruation
- Avoid beetroot and carrots the day before — they discolour urine
- Deliver to the lab within 1–2 hours
Urinalysis vs Other Urine Tests
| Test | What it evaluates |
|---|---|
| Urinalysis (UA) | All parameters: physical, chemical, sediment |
| Nechiporenko test | Precise cell count per 1 mL (inflammation severity) |
| Zimnitsky test | Kidney concentrating function over 24 hours |
| Urine culture & sensitivity | Identifies bacteria + antibiotic susceptibility |
| 24-hour urine protein | Exact protein loss per day |
When to See a Doctor
See a GP if your urinalysis shows:
- Protein above trace on a repeat test
- Significantly elevated leukocytes with symptoms (pain, fever)
- Positive nitrites combined with leukocyturia
- Red blood cells (blood in urine) without an obvious explanation
- Granular or waxy casts in the sediment
Understand Your Urinalysis in Seconds
A urinalysis is only meaningful when all parameters are read together — not in isolation.
Upload your report to LabReadAI — AI reads every value, identifies significant combinations (e.g. leukocytes + nitrites = likely infection), explains each finding in plain language, and tells you whether a doctor visit is needed and which specialist to see.