ii. pH:
- Normal urine is acidic, average 6.
- Highly acidic in uric acid stones.
- Alkaline in stones caused by infection and in renal tubular
acidosis. - pH is important in:
- The treatment of stones, it is advised to give alkalies e.g.
Na HCo 3 in acidic stones, or acids e.g. vitamin C in
alkaline stones. - Drug intoxication, it is advised to give alkalies in acidic
drug intoxication as salicylates and acids in alkaline drug
intoxication as pethidine. - Increase potency of some antibiotics in urinary tract
infection, alkalies with aminoglycosides and acids with
tetracyclines are given.
iii. Haemoglobinuria:
- The treatment of stones, it is advised to give alkalies e.g.
- Haemoglobin may be present in urine in haemoglubinuria or
haematuria (differentiated by presence of R.B.C.s in case of
haematuria). - RBCs may rupture in cases of hypotonic urine but RBCs
ghosts could still be seen. - Ascorbic acid may produce false test for haemoglobinuria.