Ketones - urine

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Male urinary system

Overview

Risks

Results

Ketones - urine

Definition:

A ketones urine test measures the presence or absence of ketones in the urine.

Alternative Names:
Ketone bodies - urine; Urine ketones: acetone, acetoacetic acid, and beta-hydroxybutyric acid
How the test is performed:

text continues below

Child or adult:

Collect a "clean-catch" ("midstream") urine sample. To obtain a clean-catch sample, men or boys should wipe clean the head of the penis. Women or girls need to wash the area between the lips of the vagina with soapy water and rinse well. As you start to urinate, allow a small amount to fall into the toilet bowl (this clears the urethra of contaminants). Then, in a clean container, catch about 1 to 2 ounces of urine and remove the container from the urine stream. Give the container to the health care provider or assistant.

Infant:

Thoroughly wash the area around the urethra. Open a urine collection bag (a plastic bag with an adhesive paper on one end), and place it on your infant. Forboys, the entire penis can be placed in the bag and the adhesive attached to the skin. For girls, the bag is placed over the labia. Diaper the infant as usual, covering and securing the bag. Check the baby frequently and remove the bag after the infant has urinated into it. Active infants may displace the bag, so it may take more than one attempt to obtain the specimen. Drain the urine into a container and give it to the health care provider.

Urine ketones are usually measured as a "spot test"using a dipstickimpregnated withchemicalsthat react with ketone bodies. The dipstick is dipped in the urine sample, anda color change indicates the presence ofketones.

How to prepare for the test:

A special diet may be recommended, and you should stop taking any drugs that may affect the test (see Special Considerations).

If the collection is being taken from an infant, extra collection bags may be necessary.

How the test will feel:

The test involves only normal urination, and there is no discomfort.

Why the test is performed:

Ketones (beta-hydroxybutyric acid, acetoacetic acid, and acetone) are the end-product of rapidor excessive fatty-acid breakdown. As is the case with glucose, ketones will bepresent in the urine when the blood levels of ketonesurpass a certain threshold.

Fatty-acid release from adipose tissue (body fat) is stimulated by a number of hormones including glucagon, epinephrine, and growth hormone. The levels of these hormonesincrease in starvation (whether related to excess alcohol use or not), uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, and a number of other conditions.