*UECS (Urine Electrolytes and Chemistry Screen)*: *Purpose:* - To evaluate kidney function - Assess electrolyte balance (sodium, potassium, chloride) - Diagnose causes of electrolyte imbalances - Detect urinary tract infections (if culture included) - Help manage conditions like dehydration, kidney diseases, acid-base imbalances *Common Components Tested:* 1. *Urine Electrolytes:* - Sodium (Na⁺) - Potassium (K⁺) - Chloride (Cl⁻) These help evaluate how well kidneys are regulating electrolytes. 2. *Urine Chemistry:* - Urea - Creatinine - pH - Specific gravity - Glucose (if any) These assess kidney function and urine concentration. 3. *Urine Culture & Sensitivity (optional):* - Identifies bacterial infections - Determines effective antibiotics *When is UECS done?* - Suspected kidney dysfunction or failure - Electrolyte disturbances - Unexplained edema or dehydration - Monitoring patients with chronic kidney disease - Suspected urinary tract infections (if culture included) - Metabolic disorders *Sample Collection:* - Clean-catch midstream urine preferred - Sometimes 24-hour urine collection for comprehensive analysis