Urine ketones
What it measures, and what changes the number.
Ketones are compounds the body makes when it breaks down fat for fuel. This test, usually part of a dipstick urinalysis, checks whether ketones are present in urine.
It is commonly read with urine glucose and blood glucose, since ketone production is closely tied to how the body is using sugar, and with urine pH and specific gravity from the same strip.
The standard dipstick reacts mainly with acetoacetate, reacts weakly with acetone, and does not detect beta-hydroxybutyrate, so it gives only part of the picture. Fasting, prolonged exercise and low carbohydrate eating before the sample can all influence the result. Ketones can evaporate or break down if urine stands, so a fresh sample is preferred. Results are usually graded rather than measured exactly. Reports may list it as Cuerpos cetónicos.
Often read alongside: Urine glucose, Glucose, Urine pH, Urine specific gravity