What does it mean if you have a trace of leukocyte esterase in your urine?
Leukocyte esterase is a screening test used to detect a substance that suggests there are white blood cells in the urine. This may mean you have a urinary tract infection. If this test is positive, the urine should be examined under a microscope for white blood cells and other signs that point to an infection.
What does trace mean on UA?
Protein is present in the blood; healthy kidneys should only filter tiny (trace) amounts into the urine as most protein molecules are too large for the filters (glomeruli). It is not usual to lose protein in the urine. When this does happen it is known as ‘Proteinuria’.
What does trace protein and leukocytes in urine mean?
Protein in the urine and a raised blood pressure reading can indicate preeclampsia. UTIs are common during pregnancy, and doctors will often find leukocytes in the urine that suggest the presence of an infection. However, some women who are pregnant have a bacterial infection in the urine without symptoms.
What is considered a high level of leukocyte esterase?
If you’re healthy, you can still have elevated leukocytes in your bloodstream and urine. A normal range in the bloodstream is between 4,500-11,000 WBCs per microliter. A normal range in the urine is lower than in the blood, and may be from 0-5 WBCs per high power field (wbc/hpf).
Is a trace of leukocytes in urine normal?
In a normal urinalysis it is common for there to be 0 to 5 leukocytes per field. There may be higher amounts in women depending to their age and menstrual cycle. When there are more than 5 leukocytes per field, the sample is identified as “pyuria”, which describes that there are high levels of leukocytes in the urine.
How do you treat trace leukocytes in urine?
Treatment for leukocytes in the urine depends on the cause and if there is an infection. For some conditions, such as a bacterial UTI, antibiotic therapy will clear up the infection relatively quickly. For more severe infections or those that will not resolve easily, more in-depth medical treatment may be needed.
What does trace mean in medical terms?
Extremely small amount or barely discernible indication of something. Medical Dictionary for the Dental Professions © Farlex 2012.
What is the normal range of leukocyte esterase in urine?
Are trace leukocytes in urine normal?
If your doctor tests your urine and finds too many leukocytes, it could be a sign of infection. Leukocytes are white blood cells that help your body fight germs. When you have more of these than usual in your urine, it’s often a sign of a problem somewhere in your urinary tract.
What medications cause leukocytes in urine?
Some types of medication, such as antibiotics, aspirin, corticosteroids, and diuretics can cause elevated leukocyte levels in the urine.
What does it mean to trace something?
transitive verb. 1a : delineate, sketch. b : to form (letters, figures, etc.) carefully or painstakingly. c : to copy (something, such as a drawing) by following the lines or letters as seen through a transparent superimposed sheet.
What does trace amounts mean?
A trace of something is a very small amount of it.
Can dehydration cause trace of protein in urine?
When your body loses large amounts of protein in the urine, it can be because of dehydration, strenuous exercise, fever, or exposure to cold temperatures. Extra protein in the urine can also be a sign of serious diseases.
What is a high level of leukocyte esterase?
What is a high level of leukocytes in the urine? An unusually high number of leukocytes in the urine indicates inflammation or infection along the urinary tract, often in the bladder or kidney. An absence of leukocyte esterase in the urine means that the urine is not likely to contain white blood cells , so it is not likely to be carrying infectious agents.
What causes elevated leukocytes in urine?
Causes. Leukocytes can occur in urine for various reasons.
What does trace of leukocytes in urine mean?
Urine samples can sometimes contain leukocytes. A leukocyte is a white blood cell, vital to the defenses of the immune system against disease. They do not usually occur in the urine in significant numbers. Having leukocytes in the urine may be a symptom of an infection.
What does high leukocytes indicate?
– Fever – Easy bruising and bleeding – Feeling weak, dizzy, tired, or sick – Pain or tingling in the extremities – Difficulty thinking, breathing, or seeing – Loss of appetite and unintentional weight loss