Leukocyturia is a pathological condition characterized by an elevated white blood cell count in the urine. Such results of laboratory tests can be triggered by a variety of diseases, but in any case, leukocyturia is the reason for a complete examination of the patient and treatment.
Leukocyturia in urine - what does this mean?
Leukocyturia is the most common deviation in laboratory tests. This result means an increase in the level of white blood cells in the urine, however, there is a clear boundary between the norm and the pathology - if the field of view of the laboratory assistant receives a maximum of 6 white blood cells, then this is a norm. Exceeding this indicator even by one - an occasion to conduct additional examinations of the patient to find out the cause of leukocyturia.
According to the International Classification of Diseases( ICD 10), the condition in question is code 39.0.
Types of
The classification of the condition in question in medicine is quite complicated:
- True and false. In the first case, leukocyturia is evidence of the development of the inflammatory process directly in the urinary system. False leukocyturia is diagnosed if the inflammatory process is localized in the reproductive system and the white blood cells get into the urine during urination - this can happen, for example, against the background of improper hygiene before taking the tests.
- Infectious and noninfectious. If in the urine are found in an increased number of white blood cells, but there will be no pathogenic bacteria, then we will talk about non-infectious leukocyturia.
- Slight, moderate and severe. In the first two cases, an increase in the number of white blood cells in the urine indicates only the inflammatory process. The pronounced leukocyturia is the complete coverage of the biomaterial with leukocytes, which means the presence of pus in the urine( pyuria).
- Neutrophilic. It is characterized by a 95% neutrophil content and a 5% lymphocyte content.
- Eosinophilic. In the urine, eosinophils predominate, indicating an allergic etiology of leukocyturia.
Note: non-infectious leukocyturia can be called sterile / aseptic / transient. All these terms mean only the absence of pathogenic bacteria in the urine, but the presence of an increased number of leukocytes - an inflammatory process of non-infectious etiology is diagnosed.
On the video about what leukocyturia is:
Symptoms and Diagnosis
This condition is always accompanied by symptoms characteristic of the inflammatory disease that provoked an increase in the number of white blood cells in the urine.
Leukocyturia is a characteristic symptom of:
- problems with urination - too frequent urination in the toilet, removal of urine by a thin trickle, incomplete emptying of the bladder;
- pulling the pain in the waist and lower abdomen of a non-intensive nature;
- burning sensation when urinating;
- hyperthermia( high body temperature);
- changed urine flow;
- presence of unpleasant odor.
If the cause of the development of leukocyturia are kidney stones, then the following symptoms occur:
- cloudy urine with possible presence of blood and pus in it;
- nausea, rarely ending with vomiting;
- sharp pain in the lumbar region and groin.
Against the background of leukocyturia, appetite may disappear.
The diagnosis of the condition under consideration is rather complicated - the usual laboratory urine test( general analysis) can not accurately determine the number of leukocytes in urine. As a rule, if there is a suspicion of leukocyturia, doctors prescribe to patients a urine test using Nechiporenko's method - an average portion of morning urine is collected to send to the laboratory.
There are several more options for collecting urine for determining leukocyturia:
- A two-glassed sample. The patient collects the morning urine in two different vessels, skipping the middle portion. If, as a result of the study, leucocyturia is found in the first sample, this indicates a progression of inflammation in the reproductive system, a high level of leukocytes in the second portion - about inflammation directly in the urinary system.
- Three-glassed sample. Urine is collected in three different vessels with continuous urination. The presence of a high level of leukocytes in the first vessel confirms inflammation in the urethra, a uniform distribution of leukocytes across all three vessels indicates inflammation in the kidneys, and the white blood cell count in the third vessel indicates inflammation in the bladder.
An additional examination with leukocyturia is ultrasound examination of the kidneys.
Causes of
This condition is characteristic of the following pathologies:
- Inflammation of the bladder( its walls) - cystitis.
- Inflammatory process, localized in the renal pelvis - pyelonephritis.
- An inflammatory pathology that occurs in the interstitial tissue of the kidney is interstitial nephritis.
- Urolithiasis and other diseases from the urological category.
In men, a high number of white blood cells in the urine can be detected during an inflammatory process with localization in the prostate gland.
Leukocyturia often occurs against obesity, hypodynamia( inactive lifestyle), tuberculosis of the kidneys.
Slight leukocyturia is diagnosed in children and adults with:
- systemic diseases - for example, against the background of lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, scleroderma;
- current allergic reactions;
- helminthic invasions;
- acute course of glomerulonephritis;
- taking certain medications - for example, Aspirin, Kanamycin and others.
In pregnancy, the condition in question can be provoked by vulvitis and / or vaginitis.
General principles of treatment
As such, leukocyturia does not exist - this condition will be present until the cause of high white blood cell count in the urine disappears. Therefore, doctors first conduct a full-fledged examination of the patient, find out the true diagnosis, and only after that prescribe therapy in strictly individual order.
As a rule, the patient is forced to undergo antibacterial therapy, since leukocyturia is always provoked by inflammatory processes. If the condition in question is of an infectious origin, then antiviral drugs may be prescribed. The patient must undergo a course of taking immunomodulators and vitamin-mineral complexes.
Prevention
Prevention of the condition in question is compliance with the rules of intimate hygiene, timely treatment of any urological diseases, compliance with contraceptive rules to prevent infection.
Leukocyturia is not a disease, but a consequence of the progression of pathological processes in the urinary and / or reproductive system. But its diagnosis implies a complete examination, and treatment of pathology.