DIAGNOSIS CHECKLIST
for Orange urine

Why: to determine if acute or chronic.

Why: e.g. dehydration may cause urine to be described as a gold color; blood in the urine may cause red, pink ,cloudy or smoky urine; liver disorders can cause tea-like or mahogany color due to presence of Bilirubin; rhubarb, senna, Vitamin B supplements, rifampin or pyridium may cause the urine to be orange; beetroot and blackberries may cause the urine to be red.

Why: blood in the first part of the urine stream suggests a urethral or Prostatic lesion , while blood in the terminal part of the urine stream suggests bleeding from the bladder. Uniform bleeding has no localizing features.

Why: may indicate trauma to kidney or bladder.

Why: e.g. joggers and athletes engaged in very vigorous exercise can develop transient blood in the urine.

Why: radiation cystitis can cause massive blood in the urine.

Why: to determine risk of sexually acquired urethritis that can cause blood in the urine. May also determine risk of hepatitis B infection that can cause jaundice.

Why: large amounts of beetroot, red lollies or berries in diet can cause red discoloration of urine. Large amounts of rhubarb, senna or Vitamin B supplements may cause an orange discoloration to the urine; Recent consumption of shellfish may suggest Hepatitis A infection that can cause jaundice.

Why: recent overseas travel may suggest bilharzias or other parasites that can cause blood in the urine. Also determine if travel is to areas with an increased risk of Hepatitis A infection.

Why: anticoagulants and cyclophosphamide can cause blood in the urine; some medications can cause dark discoloration of the urine (e.g. rifampin, pyridium and Vitamin B supplements may cause orange discoloration, certain tranquilisers such as thorazine and compazine may cause red or brown discoloration of the urine, ceratin laxatives may cause a red discoloration to the urine); some medications can cause jaundice including isoniazid, methyldopa, halothane, ketoconazole, niacin, nitrofurantoin and disulfiram.

Why: may suggest risk of alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis which can both cause jaundice and consequent dark urine.

Why: increase the risk of hepatitis B and hepatitis C infection that can cause jaundice and dark urine.

Why: In a person with blood in the urine may suggest renal stones (most likely), renal embolism, kidney contusion (bruising from trauma), kidney laceration, glomerulonephritis, renal cancer or polycystic kidneys. In a person with jaundice may suggest common duct stones, sclerosing cholangitis, pancreatic cancer, bile duct cancer, pancreatitis, viral or alcoholic hepatitis.

Why: may suggest a bladder stone, prostatic disease, urinary tract infection or renal infarction. If painless blood in the urine can suggest urinary tract infection or trauma, tumors or polycystic kidneys.

Why: In a person with blood in the urine, may suggest pyelonephritis (most likely), lupus erythematosus, infective endocarditis with emboli to kidneys; In a person with jaundice may suggest cholangitis, viral hepatitis, pancreatitis or severe alcoholic hepatitis.

Why: e.g. slow weak urine stream, terminal dribbling of urine - may suggest cause of blood in urine is from rupture of enlarged prostatic veins due to prostatic enlargement.

Why: may suggest cause of blood in the urine e.g. extensive skin bruising, bleeding gums, bleeding nose, heavy menstrual periods, rectal bleeding and painful swollen joints.

Why: e.g. fever, malaise, tiredness, Raynaud's syndrome, butterfly shaped facial rash - may cause blood in the urine.

Why: symptoms of anemia, malaise, susceptibility to infections (such as sore throat, mouth ulceration and chest infections), easy bruising, gum enlargement - may cause blood in the urine.

Why: e.g. yellow coloring to skin and sclera of eyes. If also have pale colored stools and dark colored urine - suggests an obstructive cause of the jaundice such as common bile duct stones, cancer of the pancreas, cancer of the bile duct, strictures of the bile duct, pancreatitis with a pseudocyst, sclerosing cholangitis, viral hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, pregnancy.

Why: may suggest renal cancer or prostate cancer causing blood in the urine; may suggest cancer of the pancreas or bile duct cancer if associated with jaundice and bilirubin in the urine.