National League for Nursing (NLN PAX) Practice Exam

Which urinalysis finding may indicate a serious health condition?

1. Single protein presence

2. Presence of glucose and protein

3. High urine concentration

4. Low urine pH

The correct answer is: Presence of glucose and protein

The presence of both glucose and protein in a urinalysis is a significant finding that may indicate a serious health condition. When glucose appears in urine, it often suggests that blood sugar levels are elevated, which could be due to diabetes mellitus. Protein in the urine can be a sign of kidney damage or disease, as healthy kidneys typically filter out protein to prevent it from entering the urine. The combination of these two findings raises concern for conditions such as diabetic nephropathy, where both the loss of protein and the presence of glucose can indicate that the kidneys are being affected by diabetes. In contrast, a single protein presence might not alone suggest extensive or acute kidney damage, and high urine concentration could be due to dehydration or other less severe factors. Low urine pH may indicate certain metabolic issues or dietary factors but is not as directly indicative of severe health problems as the combination of glucose and protein.