This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Dipstick urinanalysis (specific gravity)

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Specific Gravity:

  • Urine specific gravity (SG) shows the concentration of urine and represents the hydration status of the patient. Normal specific gravity varies from 1.001 to 1.035

    • increased SG
      • causes include:
      • conditions causing dehydration
        • usefulness of SG in identifying dehydration in infants has been brought into question (2)
      • glycosuria
      • renal artery stenosis
      • heart failure (secondary to decreased blood flow to the kidneys)
      • inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion
      • proteinuria

    • some dipsticks give falsely high readings in the presence of dextran solutions and IV radiopaque dyes
      • however this false positive varies with different dipsticks so check the manufacturer's leaflet

    • decreased SG
      • causes include:
        • excessive fluid intake
        • renal failure
        • pyelonephritis
        • diabetes insipidus
        • alkaline urine (eg, a high-citrate diet) may cause false low readings for SG

Reference:

Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.