Glycosuria, where urine contains glucose, can have various symptoms depending on the cause, including diabetes, infections, pregnancy, or renal glycosuria. Some patients may be asymptomatic, but determining the cause is crucial for treatment. The kidneys retain glucose for metabolic functions, but when they cannot filter it properly, it may be secreted into the urine. A urine sample can be tested for glucose. Symptoms of glycosuria can include frequent urination, excessive thirst, dehydration, pain in the kidney area, difficulty urinating, and fever.
Symptoms of glycosuria, in which urine contains glucose, can vary depending on the cause; this could include diabetes, infections, pregnancy, or a rare condition called renal glycosuria. Some patients may be asymptomatic, in which case the problem is identified during routine urinalysis or a medical exam. Others may experience problems such as abdominal pain, thirst or high blood sugar. Determining the cause is important for the doctor, who needs to develop a treatment plan based on why the patient’s kidneys cannot filter glucose properly.
In most healthy individuals, the kidneys retain glucose because it’s useful for a variety of metabolic functions. When kidney function declines or the blood is overloaded with glucose, the kidneys may begin secreting it into the urine. Historically, this could be detected by tasting the urine and checking for a distinctive sweet scent. Modern doctors have a less nasty way of doing the test, by using a simple dipstick in a urine sample to check for glucose.
One potential reason for having glycosuria is a benign condition known as renal glucosuria, in which case the patient may have no symptoms. A doctor may request some additional tests to confirm the cause. Pregnant women can also pass glucose in their urine without it being a symptom of medical problems; this, however, can also be a warning sign of gestational diabetes, so it requires some follow-up testing.
In patients with diabetes, the most common cause of glycosuria, symptoms can include frequent urination, excessive thirst, and dehydration. These patients are passing large volumes of water along with glucose, which makes them feel dehydrated. Diabetic patients will also have high blood sugar, which can be determined with a rapid fingerstick test or a more extensive blood chemistry test. A complete blood test may be recommended to check for other health indicators, which may be helpful in the workup of a patient presenting with a new case of diabetes or seeking treatment for poorly controlled diabetes.
Kidney disorders, including infections, can sometimes cause this condition. These conditions can cause symptoms such as pain in the kidney area, difficulty urinating, and fever. The urine test can show a large number of white blood cells, proteins, and other indicators that will help a doctor determine the nature of the problem. If a patient has high levels of white blood cells and abdominal pain, for example, the likely cause is a kidney infection that interferes with kidney function.
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