The urine 24-hour volume test measures the amount of urine produced in a day. The amount of creatinine, protein, and other chemicals released into the urine during this period is often tested.
For this test, you must urinate into a special bag or container every time you use the bathroom for 24-hour period.
For an infant:
Thoroughly wash the area around the urethra (the hole where urine flows out). Open a urine collection bag (a plastic bag with an adhesive paper on one end).
Check the infant often, and change the bag after the infant has urinated. Empty the urine from the bag into the container provided by your doctor.
An active infant can cause the bag to move, so it may take more than one try to collect the sample.
When finished, label the container and return it as instructed.
Certain drugs can also affect the test results. Your health care provider may tell you to stop taking certain medicines before the test. Never stop taking medicine without first talking to your doctor.
The following may also affect test results:
The test involves only normal urination, and there is no discomfort.
Your doctor may order this test if there are signs of damage to your kidney function on blood, urine, or imaging tests.
Urine volume is normally measured as a part of test that measures the amount of a substances passed in your urine in a day, such as:
This test may also be done if you have polyuria (abnormally large volumes of urine), such as is seen in diabetes insipidus.
The normal range for 24-hour urine volume is 800 to 2000 milliliters per day (with a normal fluid intake of about 2 liters per day).
The examples above are common measurements for results of these tests. Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.
Disorders that cause reduced urine volume include dehydration, not enough fluid intake, or some types of chronic kidney disease.
Some of the conditions that cause increased urine volume include:
Urine volume; 24-hour urine collection; Urine protein - 24 hour
Israni AK, Kasiske BL. Laboratory assessment of kidney disease: glomerular filtration rate, urinalysis, and proteinuria. In: Teal MW, Chertow GM, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Yu ASL, Brenner BM, eds. Brenner & Rector's The Kidney. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 25.
Landry DW, Bazari H. Approach to the patient with renal disease. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 116.
Updated by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Bethanne Black, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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