By urine, you can understand a lot about the patient's health. If it changes color, acquires an unclear sediment or an unpleasant smell, then it is necessary to pass the examination and take laboratory tests.
Epithelium in urine - what does it mean?
In the urine, various substances and chemical compounds such as proteins and creatinine, red blood cells and bilirubin, leukocytes or salts, bacteria or fungi, etc. can be found, etc. The presence of epithelium may be revealed during laboratory tests. Usually it is found in an amount not exceeding a dozen units and only certain epithelial varieties such as transitional or flat. With an increase in such parameters, one can speak of functional anomalies of the bladder or kidneys.
The epithelial layer lays the prostatic ducts and renal pelvis, ureters and urethra, the
urinary structures. If a small number of epithelial cell structures are found in urine, they do not need treatment. Usually, this can happen if the rules for sampling the biomaterial are violated. Therefore, doctors warn that before collecting urine you need to wash yourself and collect the morning dose of urine in the container only in a clean and dry container.
Species of
There are several typical types of epithelium that can be found in urine:
- Flat. The most common form, the cells are large, flat, round in shape, seemingly colorless. In urine can be found in the form of strata or in the form of single structures. Such cells are always in the female urine, where they come from the urethra or vagina. In men, this epithelium penetrates into the urine from the lower parts of the urethra. If the content of flat epithelium in urine is exceeded, this often indicates the development of infectious lesions of the urinary structures.
- Transitional epithelium. Its cellular structures come in various shapes and parameters, differ in a yellowish color. A similar epithelium covers the surface of the renal pelvis and ureter, upper parts of the urethra. With the increase of such epithelial cells speak of the development of pyelonephritis or cystitis, as well as urolithiasis. Also, the transitional epithelium in urine may indicate the development of polyps, hepatitis, or stone formation.
- When found in urine in any patient, renal epithelial cells are usually diagnosed with parenchymal kidney pathologies. In addition, the renal type of epithelium indicates infectious processes in the kidney and urogenital system, glomerulonephritis or pyelonephritis and other pathologies. Usually such an epithelium in urine is accompanied by hyperthermic signs.
Depending on the type of epithelial cell structures found, the diagnostic orientation is determined.
In general, the presence of flat epithelium in urine in women is considered the norm, but in pregnant women this figure drops to about 5 units. In men, a similar finding in the urine often indicates a pathology. Also, a flat epithelium can be found in urine in men with medication that is characterized by poor digestibility, or after surgery. In children, a safe manifestation of the presence of epithelium is considered only in the period of newborn. In the first weeks of life, adaptation and reorganization of the urinary system takes place. At an older age, it is worthwhile to suspect a pathology.
Diagnostic Methods
To detect epithelial cells in urine, it is sufficient to pass urine analysis. Collect it in a sterile container to avoid distortion of the test results. Preliminary need to wash the genitals, then some amount of morning portion to empty into the toilet, the middle part to collect in the container, and the last portion again in the toilet. It is the middle part of the first morning urine that is considered the most informative.
Usually, the excess of the epithelial component in the urine is accompanied by a mass of unpleasant symptoms like uncomfortable urination, pain, vesicular pathologies or inflammation of the prostate.
Norm
Experts for such an indicator as the epithelium have determined the variants of the norm, and the excess of these indices indicates the development of pathology, more common urethritis:
- For women, the content of urine is considered to be up to 10 epithelium units, and for pregnant women even less - about five.
- As for the stronger sex, for them the option of an epithelial norm in urine is considered to be no more than 3 units.
- The norm for a newborn baby is about a dozen epithelial cells, but in the second month of life they begin to decrease, making up 0-3 units in the norm.
As can be seen, for each category of patients their standard standards are determined, which is very important for diagnosis.
Deviations from the norm
If, however, the epithelial indices were found in the study of urine, the patient is most likely to develop some pathology, which is usually indicated by the degree of excess of the norm and the type of epithelium present in the urine.
- For example, in women, a slight excess of the norm of the epithelium can be observed even in the absence of any genitourinary and urinary pathologies. Similar cells enter the urine from the urethra. If the parameters of the epithelium in women significantly exceed the norm, we can talk about the development of cystitis, which is accompanied by painful symptoms, violation of urination, his frequent urges, hematuria, etc. Usually urine becomes turbid and unpleasantly smelling. Such symptoms often indicate urethritis, thrush, or sexual infections.
- In men, normal cells of the flat epithelium in urine should not be present in urine( no more than three).If they are found in large quantities, the doctor may presume the presence of genito-urinary infections and inflammatory diseases like cystitis or glomerulonephritis, etc.
- In one-month-old children, a 0-10-cell count is normal, if a sharp increase occurs, this may indicate inflammationin the genitals, pyelitis or nephrosclerosis, etc. In general, any increase in the epithelium in the urine of children can be regarded as a pathology. But similar cells other than the disease, accompanied by a characteristic list of symptoms like pain, temperature or urinary problems.
An important point is the timely access to a specialist, because neglected pathologies are much more difficult to treat. On an individual basis, the patient is given proper treatment. Epithelium is found in all patients, but its level should be minimal.