In recent years, many asymptomatic individuals have become a routine (eg. In recognition of company) and have been told they have found leukocytes in urine sediment analysis, and wonder what may be causing your problem.
The urine sediment is the study of a urine sample and its components to find unusual items that help in the diagnosis of certain diseases.
It investigates the presence of cells (red blood cell, white blood cells or leukocytes …) of germs or crystals …
In this study, if there are 5 or more leukocytes per field in urine is considered abnormal and often indicative of infection (especially if accompanied by compatible symptoms such as burning during urination, pain, darker urine, feeling of urination completely …) or inflammation of the urinary tract (though not always).
If nitrites are also positive (test strip that, if positive, indicates with great certainty that no infection) or presence of pyuria (more than 10 leukocytes per field, usually accompanied by cellular debris or bacteria), the possibility of infection is much higher.
But that urine should be cultured and subsequently grow a seed to state definitively that there is infection (unless antibiotic treatment is received before collecting the sample for culture and made it free from germs).
Other causes that can cause presence of leukocytes in urine and not infection are:
- Poor collection technique, contaminating the sample. Urine should be obtained after pre-wash the urethra, and after starting to urinate, discard the start of the first urine (which is more likely to be contaminated), and pick the middle of the jet.
- Presence of inflammation of the urinary tract, bladder or kidney by chronic inflammatory or infectious diseases, for example. interstitial cystitis, urethritis and prostatitis, renal tuberculosis, various glomerulonephritis that can affect the kidneys …
- The stones in every shape, with formation of “gravel” or actual calculations that passage injure the urinary tract and inflamed, with the consequent appearance of leukocytes in urine.
- Injuries kidney or urinary tract.
- Any process that produces noninfectious urinary tract bleeding.
- Systemic infections that produce fever, usually cause appearing leukocytes in urine but no symptoms of urinary infection.
If there are leukocytes in urine, in principle, attempts to dismiss the most frequent, which is infection and the stone, and if this is not the cause, will be necessary to further study the urinary tract.
