The effect of proteinuria on the urine specific gravity in small animals
Absztrakt
Measuring urine specific gravity (USG) is a diagnostic tool frequently relied
upon and widely accepted to evaluate the concentrating ability of the kidneys. It has
a very close correlation with osmolarity but is not only influenced by the number of
solutes inside the urine but also their mass. It is measured by refractometry a quick
and cheap method based on the optical properties of the urine sample. The USG
value measured with a refractometer has a good correlation with osmolarity and
makes the determination of osmolarity unnecessary in most clinical situations. Both
measuring USG and detecting proteinuria plays a key role in the early detection of
kidney injury. However, the question has been raised; whether the increased mass
of protein compared to other urine solutes in the case of proteinuria has an effect
on the correlation of USG and osmolarity.