Includes Creatinine, 24 Hour Urine
Preferred Specimen(s) 10 mL 24-hour urine
Instructions Collect without preservatives. Refrigerate during and after collection. Aliquot unpreserved specimen before adding acid. Do not include first morning specimen; collect all subsequent voidings. The last sample collected should be the first morning specimen voided the following morning at the same time as the previous morning’s first voiding. Record 24-hour urine volume on test request form and urine vial.
Transport Container Plastic, screw-cap container
Transport Temperature Refrigerated & ambient 7 days, Stable 1 week
Reject Criteria None
Methodology Ion Specific Electrode (ISE)
Clinical Significance Urine chloride excretion approximates the dietary intake. The chloride content of most foods parallels that of sodium. An increase in urine chloride may result from water deficient dehydration, diabetic acidosis, Addison’s disease and salt-losing renal disease. Decreased urine levels are seen in congestive heart failure, severe diaphoresis and in hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis due to prolonged vomiting.