Lead- Urine:
Why Lead Urine Test?
CLINICAL INFORMATION
Lead (Pb) is found frequently in the environment. Lead and its compounds are used in a wide variety of products found in homes, leaded paints, ceramics, lead pipes, plumbing materials, batteries, lead soldering, cosmetics, military ammunitions, fuels (including aviation fuel) etc. As such lead is not required for a normal healthy human body, since the purpose of lead is not yet fully determined and moreover its biological role is not completely established. Lead is a cumulative toxicant that affects multiple body systems. Lead enters the human system from the environment mainly by inhalation and by ingestion (through eatables including intake of liquids). Lead enters through the lungs and the gut. It is taken up by the blood and is distributed to the body organs like the brain, liver, kidneys, bones, teeth etc (including soft tissues and bones). Lead gets accumulated mainly in the liver and kidneys. It can also be detected in the nails, hair, sweat etc. while lead is predominantly eliminated by the urinary system and is excreted as urine. Lead poisoning is a serious health problem (that affects physical and mental development) that occurs when lead builds up in the body over months or years. Symptoms of lead poisoning include high BP, muscle and joint pain, abdominal pain, mood disorders, reduced or abnormal sperm count, stillbirth or premature birth in pregnant women. Lead toxicity can be caused due to high levels of exposure to lead that can cause anaemia, weakness, kidney damage, and affects the brain and CNS. It can further cause complications such as convulsions, coma and even death. Toxic health effects of lead toxicity and its severity depend upon factors such as the type of lead ingested (in which form of the lead compound), dose, age, duration of exposure, route of exposure (inhalation, ingestion etc). Thus increased urinary lead excretion indicates excessive lead exposure. Lead tests is ordered in case of suspected lead poisoning/toxicity and for prognosis like lead chelation therapy etc.
Additional tests include EDTA Lead immobilization test, Erythrocyte protoporphyrin test and tests on whole blood lead levels are further indicated. Other tests include CBC, comprehensive metabolic panel tests, imaging studies etc.
General Instructions:
Sample Requirement: Specimen - Urine. Test Preparation: Fasting Required
NOTE - Sample for specimen collections may vary based on the patient’s condition/cases according to the patient’s presenting complaints/signs or symptoms:
SPECIMEN REQUIREMENT (Special or Rare Cases) - As instructed and guided by Physician / Clinician / Pathologist / as per Laboratory’s requirements, according to procedures and protocols.
This Multi-Specialty Clinical Referral Laboratory RT DIAGNOSTICS provides precise and accurate tests with an extensive range of testing services to the medical centres to help in the diagnosis and identification of pathology in the test specimens for infectious diseases and also to evaluate the function of organ systems of the patient. It prevents further complications and helps to stabilize and restore health to near normalcy at the earliest without delay.
