Increased levels of acetone in urine: symptoms and treatment

The appearance of acetone in the urine is always an alarming sign , which indicates a serious failure in the kidneys. In most cases, the problem can be solved simply by returning to a healthy lifestyle, but sometimes a more serious examination is required.

If not treated in a timely manner, the development of the disease can lead to failure of the body's systems , which will cause death. To avoid this, it is important to know the symptoms, causes and methods of treatment for acetonuria.

Symptoms to watch out for

The development of signs of acetonuria occurs gradually. You can suspect signs of a disorder if you have the following symptoms:

the person complains of constant lethargy, characterized by general, unrelated weakness, drowsiness,
an unpleasant and pungent odor of acetone appears from the mouth,
the urine begins to smell bad, figuratively speaking, “smells like a cat”,
blood biochemistry shows an increased content of leukocytes at the level of extremely low glucose levels.

It is the change in the physical properties of urine and the appearance of a characteristic pungent odor that makes it possible to suspect the development of acetonuria and promptly carry out diagnosis using simple indicator tests at home and laboratory methods.

What to do if acetone gets into your eye?

When the solvent gets on the mucous membrane of the eyes, a chemical burn occurs, which is accompanied by pain, pain, lacrimation and signs of inflammation (mucosal hyperemia). In this case, there is a high risk of vision loss, which is why it is necessary to contact an ophthalmologist as soon as possible.

If solvent gets into your eye, you should:

Rinse eyes with plenty of water. It is better to use boiled chilled water. Rinsing is carried out using a large syringe or syringe. If a syringe is used, the needle must be removed so as not to injure the visual apparatus,
After rinsing, you can drip the eye with Albucid drops, 1 - 2 drops in each eye,
You can make a cold compress with chamomile infusion or black tea,
If there is a feeling of discomfort, pain and cutting in the eye, as well as changes in vision, you should immediately contact the ophthalmology department. The doctor will assess the condition and prescribe adequate treatment.

Diagnostics for acetone in urine

With the help of modern means, it is possible to independently detect acetonuria at home. This can be done using indicator test strips to determine the level of ketone bodies in urine. Strips purchased at the pharmacy for diagnosing acetone content are dipped into a container with fresh urine every morning, and the indicator shows approximate data.

The pink color of the indicator indicates the presence of ketone bodies, and a thick purple tint indicates a significant excess of the physiological norm. Urine monitoring is carried out over 3-4 days, and depending on the results of the preliminary examination, a decision is made on the need to consult with a doctor, who will tell you exactly what the increased data is associated with and what the test results may mean.

Diagnostic measures

Before starting treatment, it is necessary to undergo appropriate examinations, which will make it possible to determine the general condition of the person and at what stage of development his condition is. Speaking about diagnostics, experts pay attention to the following activities:

it is necessary to determine the size of the liver, which is possible with the help of special tests, namely those that demonstrate disorders associated with protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism;
The main method should be considered urine examination in adults and children;
It is possible to independently confirm the diagnosis, which is carried out using test strips. However, it would be best to first consult with a specialist who will tell you exactly how to determine all blood abnormalities in children and adults.

After lowering directly into the urine, the test should acquire a pink tint, while with a significant degree of ketonuria, the strip turns out to be purple. Some other additional examinations may be required that will allow you to adjust the recovery course in order to know exactly how to treat acetone in the blood or urine in children and adults.

Urine test for acetone

More accurate results are provided by laboratory diagnostics and interpretation of urine analysis data by a doctor. Typically, the reason for contacting a medical facility is a combination of home test data and the manifestation of typical symptoms. To identify ketoacidosis, a general urine test is prescribed, in which either crosses or exact numbers are entered in a separate column, depending on the available equipment and reagents. 1 plus indicates a weak reaction, 2–3 plus indicates the development of acetonuria. 4 crosses shows that this is critical, which means there are deep disorders and the person’s condition requires urgent hospitalization.

What to do?

Do not panic! Responsibility for the condition of the child lies only with you!

So, the child is nervous, hungry, and has a smell of acetone on his breath - give him a sweet drink, give him some sweets. Coca-Cola is best, because this drink has a lot of sugar and the child will drink it with great pleasure. This category also includes various sweet lemonades and sodas.

Do not put your child on a diet, especially a hungry one, especially one without sweets. This can make the situation worse. Don't limit your child's sweets! It is necessary to ensure that the distance between meals for the child is at least 4 hours.

It is also important to remember that stress in a state of acetonymia is contraindicated, just like a sharp increase in physical activity. You should always carry 40% glucose and candy with you.

If you doubt that your child has acetone, buy special test strips to determine it in urine. These are paper strips with a reagent that changes color depending on the acetone content in the urine.

If the child’s condition is more severe, then it is necessary to start giving him a sweet drink; in this case, saline solutions will only help against dehydration, but will not affect his well-being. But you can give a saline solution in parallel with sweets.

Sometimes it happens that if there is severe vomiting, it is impossible to give the child a sweet drink. In this case, glucose is administered intravenously or an injection of an antiemetic is given, and while it is working, this is about 2-3 hours, you need to let the child drink as much sweet liquid as possible.

If the condition does not improve, vomiting does not stop, and signs of dehydration appear, call an ambulance, as in this case infusion therapy is needed. As soon as the acetone crisis has passed, you just need to forget about it. Do not torment your child with diets, do not look for reasons, but simply live and do not forbid your child sweets, because in 100% of cases children outgrow this condition.

The main thing is to know how to provide first aid and not to scare the child with hospitalization. Of course, there are situations when a hospital cannot be avoided, for example, when intoxication and dehydration of the body are too severe, then the introduction of glucose through a vein is inevitable, but such conditions are very rare and most often we can cope at home ourselves.

It is worth remembering that this condition can develop in an absolutely healthy child, and acetone syndrome without other signs most often does not mean the presence of diabetes. But if acetone appears in a child often for no reason and is accompanied by sudden weight loss, the child often urinates and is constantly thirsty, then it is worth checking for type 1 diabetes.

Preparing a saline solution for dehydration

A treatment method aimed at introducing fluid into the body is called rehydration therapy. Rehydration is, in fact, the replenishment of fluid losses. There are two main methods of rehydration - intravenous, when the necessary solutions are injected into a vein through a dropper, and oral - when a person receives the necessary solutions through the mouth.

What it is? Sometimes it is a ready-made solution, but usually it is a powder, or tablet, or granules, which contain the sodium, potassium, chlorine and other substances necessary for the body in specially selected combinations and concentrations equivalent to pathological losses. Let me explain: sweating is a loss of not only fluid, but also sodium and chlorine (after all, sweat is salty, and everyone probably remembers the school formula NaCl). If you replenish fluid losses, but do not replenish salt losses, this is fraught with serious problems. How much salt do you still need? So smart scientists calculated the optimal amount of salts for a certain volume of water.

The formulas for rehydrating agents are based on these calculations. In addition to salts, the preparations often contain glucose; sometimes extracts of medicinal plants (chamomile extract, for example), and decoctions of cereals (rice, wheat, etc.) are added.

Oral rehydrating agents are an ideal option for quickly and effectively replenishing physiological and pathological fluid losses.

This is why oral rehydration products are over-the-counter medications.

That is why oral rehydration products should be an essential component of a home first aid kit.

Reasons for the appearance of acetone in urine

The development of ketoacidosis can be caused by various pathological conditions, and also accompanies some physiological processes in the body:

Diabetes mellitus of any type, one of the complications of which is diabetic coma, and determining the level of acetone using express diagnostics or laboratory urine analysis helps identify a dangerous condition.
A disorder in the production of pancreatic enzymes, which is often hereditary.
Errors in nutrition with a predominance of animal protein increases the risk of developing acetonuria, and prolonged fasting leads to activation of the processes of decay of one’s own structures.
Stress, physical work and intense mental activity lead to disruption of metabolic processes.
All types of intoxication, including alcohol, often provoke the development of ketoacidosis and lead to an increase in the level of acetone in the urine.
Situations associated with increased consumption of energy resources (physical activity or hypothermia) increase the risk of developing acetonuria.
The appearance of precursors, the most obvious of which is a change in the smell of urine, serves as a reason for diagnosis.

What is acetonuria?

Today, the accepted standards for the content of acetone in urine are from 20 mg to 50 mg per day.
Acetones are produced in the human body in small quantities and are products of incomplete protein breakdown. These substances are toxic and belong to ketone bodies. Exceeding the content of these substances indicates improper functioning of the human body. Acetonuria is the excretion of acetone in the urine.

Today, the accepted standards for the content of acetone in urine are from 20 mg to 50 mg per day, but many experts argue that this is a high indicator and the complete absence of acetone in the urine of a healthy person is considered normal. A high concentration of acetone in the human body leads to serious pathological conditions that may be irreversible, including:

Brain swelling;
Impaired respiratory function of the body;
Cardiac dysfunction;
Disturbance of consciousness (eg, hallucinations);
Death.

The process of formation of ketone bodies in human blood and their release by the kidneys into the urine is called ketoacidosis, or acetonemia, and acetonuria is a consequence of this process, which is actually reflected in urine analysis. That is why acetonuria is not considered an independent disease, but only a clinical manifestation. However, this laboratory term has clinical significance.

If not so long ago the appearance of acetone in urine was a rare occurrence, today the picture is not changing for the better from year to year. Despite the fact that the number of severe pathologies among the population is growing (for example, diabetes mellitus, severe viral and infectious diseases, oncology, etc.), and acetonuria for people with these diseases can be considered a completely expected phenomenon, under the influence of provoking factors, an increase acetone substances in the urine can also be present in healthy people. So what is the reason for the increase in acetone in the urine, let's look at it in order.

Treatment of acetonuria

Treatment with increased acetone content is carried out taking into account the characteristics of the condition based on diagnostic data. Emergency care and urgent hospitalization require convulsive syndromes, loss of consciousness and life-threatening manifestations of acetonuria with ketone bodies in the urine exceeding 5 mmol/l. Symptomatic therapy is carried out and measures are taken to detoxify the body using medications.

To bind toxic decomposition products, adsorbents are used - Polysorb, activated carbon, Enterosgel.

Cleansing enemas with saline solutions help remove toxic substances.

Replenishment of the water balance is carried out by drip administration of saline solution or by oral use of a solution of Regidron and analogues.

Signs of disruption of the gastrointestinal tract are regulated by the appointment of Cerucal, antispasmodics and analgesics.

Restorative treatment includes the use of vitamin-mineral complexes while continuing to take analgesics and hydration therapy.

Children

In childhood, acetonuria can be caused by impaired functionality of the pancreas. The fact is that this organ develops up to 12 years, and during growth it may not cope with the influence of external factors.

When the pancreas is not functioning properly, too few enzymes are produced. Also, due to increased mobility, children need more energy.

Meanwhile, due to physiological characteristics, the growing body experiences a constant lack of glucose. Therefore, children need complete and proper nutrition, rich in carbohydrates.

The reasons for increased levels of acetone in the urine may be as follows:

Poor nutrition of a child due to overeating, eating unhealthy foods with high amounts of flavorings and dyes, or too fatty foods.
The reasons may lie in frequent stressful situations and increased excitability of the child.
Children can become very overtired when participating in numerous sports sections.
Infectious diseases, the presence of helminths in the body or allergic reactions.
Hypothermia, increased temperature, and frequent use of antibiotics can also lead to acetonuria.

If all the rules are not followed, due to a lack of enzymes that are involved in the digestion of food, the process of rotting occurs. Harmful substances enter the blood and urine, as a result of which urine, when excreted, acquires the characteristic odor of acetone.

Nutrition and lifestyle

Diagnosed ketonuria requires not only correction with medications, but also a thorough analysis of lifestyle. For successful treatment, it is necessary to normalize the supply of nutrients to the body, as well as ensure adequate energy expenditure.

The diet involves limiting the consumption of fatty meats, poultry, cottage cheese, strong broths, sorrel, tomatoes, the complete exclusion of canned and smoked foods, and giving up alcohol, coffee and strong tea. It is recommended to remove citrus fruits and bananas, as well as confectionery products from the diet.

The daily menu is enriched with low-fat meat products; the basis of nutrition is cereals, vegetables and permitted fruits. Cooking should be done in the most gentle way possible - stewing, boiling.

Increasing the amount of fluid consumed to 2-3 liters per day helps reduce the level of ketones in the urine. In this case, only clean water, still and without any additives, is taken into account.

Physical activity is important for normalizing metabolism; in this case, energy consumption eliminates the possibility of accumulation of residual products of glucose breakdown, as well as incomplete oxidation of fats.

Identified acetonuria requires regular blood and urine tests to determine the level of glucose and ketone bodies.

Symptoms of acetonuria

Complete lack of appetite and refusal to drink fluids are symptoms indicating the presence of a large amount of acetone in the body.
Symptoms indicating the presence of a large amount of acetone in the human body are:

Complete lack of appetite and refusal to take fluids;
Severe nausea and vomiting after drinking liquids or food for a long time;
Spasmodic pain in the abdominal area;
Increase in body temperature, up to critical limits.

If you do not urgently take any action to eliminate the toxic effects of acetone on the patient’s body, his condition will greatly worsen, and the following conditions will appear:

Signs of dehydration and intoxication of the body. The amount of urine excreted decreases, the skin turns pale, the cheeks have a characteristic flush, the tongue is dry and coated, and there is severe weakness;
The central nervous system of the body is affected. In the first hours or even minutes, there is strong excitement, which is then replaced by severe weakness and drowsiness. Convulsions and coma may occur;
The smell of acetone (similar to the smell of rotten apples) is present in all human fluids: urine, vomit, and is also felt when exhaling. In severe conditions, this smell is obvious and pronounced; with a barely perceptible smell, we can also talk about the presence of pathology;
Increased liver size;
Changes in laboratory tests:
Acetonuria in urine analysis;
Biochemical analysis reveals a decrease in the level of glucose and chlorides, and, on the contrary, an increase in the level of cholesterol and lipoproteins.

Treatment course with folk remedies

Traditional methods of reducing the level of acetone in urine are aimed at reducing intoxication of the body and helping to normalize metabolic processes.

Frequently drinking small portions of warm water helps to quickly replenish fluid when vomiting. You can use unsweetened compotes based on dried fruits or still mineral water. In order to get rid of toxins and breakdown products in the body, a cleansing enema with warm water with a small amount of soda or a decoction of chamomile, calendula, and nettle is recommended.

Home remedies for combating high levels of acetone in urine include the use of medicinal plants that have anti-inflammatory, sedative, detoxification properties, and also normalize sugar levels. Rosehip infusion helps not only to remove excess acetone, but also stimulates metabolic processes, increases vitality and strengthens the immune system.

Independent measures to reduce the level of acetone in the urine are effective only for mild manifestations. First of all, it is necessary to establish the exact cause of the condition and identify possible diseases that provoked the development of acetonuria. To do this, you need to consult a doctor who will prescribe an examination, interpret the tests and recommend effective treatment.

How is acetone formed?

The most characteristic mechanism of acetone formation can be considered against the background of diabetic acetonuria. As a rule, with this symptom the sick person has a severe form of diabetes mellitus. Carbohydrates that enter the body in the diet do not undergo transformation and are decomposed mainly into sugar bases. These forms of carbohydrates cannot participate in full protein and fat metabolism.

With the accumulation of these substances, an acid shift occurs in the humoral system and the accumulation of acetone bodies begins, which represent an incomplete transformation of oxidized proteins and fats. To neutralize these components, the body uses its alkaline reserves, which are located in blood cells.

Gradually, the supply of alkalis runs out and an acetone coma may occur.

Acetonuria in pregnant women

The presence of acetone in the urine and a pungent odor indicate a pathological illness in a woman who requires immediate medical attention with hospitalization. Most often, the cause of acetonuria in pregnant women is severe toxicosis with vomiting, which leads to severe dehydration of the body. As a result, acetone accumulates in the urine.

Also, the reason often lies in disruption of the immune system, frequent psychological stress, and consumption of harmful foods containing high amounts of flavors and dyes.

To avoid this condition, you need to learn how to cope with toxicosis while carrying a child. To restore water balance, it is recommended to drink in small sips as often as possible. To prevent pathology from developing, it is necessary to eat properly and avoid eating large amounts of sweet and fatty foods. Sometimes pregnant women, afraid of getting fat, try to limit themselves in food, especially if there is a combination such as diabetes and pregnancy.

Meanwhile, fasting can only have a detrimental effect on the health of the expectant mother and baby, causing acetonuria. As experts recommend, you need to eat more often, but in small doses, and it is advisable to avoid flour and fried foods.