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Glycosuria is a medical term used to describe the presence of glucose in the urine, which may indicate the presence of some health problems, from diabetes to kidney diseases, for example.
In healthy adults, the kidney is able to reabsorb almost all of the glucose present in the urine and, therefore, the urine test is not able to detect the presence of glucose. When some amount of glucose is identified, it can mean two situations:
- There is excess glucose in the blood, which may be a sign of diabetes or changes in the pancreas;
- The kidney is unable to reabsorb glucose properly due to some kidney problem. In this case, glycosuria is called renal glycosuria.
Whenever glycosuria is identified in the urine test, it is important to consult a general practitioner to identify the cause and start the most appropriate treatment, if necessary.
Main causes of glycosuria
The presence of glucose in the urine almost always happens due to:
- Diabetes mellitus;
- Gestational diabetes;
- Renal changes typical of pregnancy;
- Changes in the pancreas;
- Cushing's syndrome.
However, glycosuria can also happen because of kidney problems, such as in Fanconi syndrome, cystinosis or chronic kidney failure.
The main difference between the most common causes and kidney problems is that, in the case of glycosuria caused by diabetes or changes in the pancreas, the amount of glucose in the blood is also increased, while in the case of renal glycosuria, caused by kidney problems , the blood glucose value tends to be normal.
What other tests may be needed
In addition to the urine test, it is also common for the doctor to order a blood test to assess blood glucose levels. If blood glucose levels are also increased in the blood, the doctor is usually suspicious of diabetes and may therefore order a diabetes test. See which tests help confirm diabetes.
When the glucose values are normal in the blood, it is usually a sign of some kidney alteration and, therefore, the doctor may order other urine and blood tests and even ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate the functioning of the kidneys.
How the treatment is done
The treatment of glycosuria varies a lot according to the cause of the problem, but as it is most often an alteration caused by diabetes, it is common that the person needs to make changes in the diet, use antidiabetic drugs or insulin. Learn more about diabetes treatment options.
When it comes to renal glycosuria, treatment must be guided by a nephrologist because it is necessary to detect if there is a problem with the kidneys that requires specific treatment. In many cases, renal glycosuria does not need any type of treatment and only regular urine and blood tests are recommended to assess the progress of the problem.