Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) Practice Exam

Which urine chemical test result is associated with hepatic dysfunction?

1. Protein trace

2. SG 1.025

3. Glucose positive

4. Blood positive

The correct answer is: Protein trace

The presence of a trace amount of protein in urine can be associated with hepatic dysfunction. When the liver is impaired, conditions such as cirrhosis or hepatitis may lead to the leakage of proteins into the urine, particularly albumin. Normally, the kidneys filter blood and prevent significant protein loss; however, liver conditions can alter the balance of proteins in the bloodstream, causing them to appear in urine. While other options like specific gravity, glucose, or blood in urine can indicate numerous conditions, they are not specific indicators of hepatic dysfunction. Specific gravity measures the kidney's ability to concentrate urine, glucose positivity suggests diabetes or renal threshold issues, and the presence of blood could indicate urinary tract infections or kidney issues. None of these directly correlate to liver function as clearly as proteinuria does, making the trace protein finding a more reliable indicator in the context of liver health.