Urinary ketone bodies appear positive when the body’s glucose metabolism is impaired and the fat metabolite, ketone bodies, is produced in excess. It is mainly seen in diabetic patients with ketosis, longer periods of inability to eat, after repeated vomiting, etc. Ketone bodies are a general term for acetoacetic acid, B-hydroxybutyric acid, and acetone. Ketone body test helps in the early diagnosis of diabetic ketoacidosis. In addition, starvation (weight loss), dehydration, anesthesia, vomiting, and alkali loss can lead to an increase in organic acids, which are condensed into ketone bodies and excreted from the urine.
Usually, abnormal urinary ketone body levels indicate elevated levels of ketone bodies in the blood, leading to their elimination from the urine. The main reason for this is the accelerated rate of lipolysis in the body, which leads to the production of large amounts of ketone bodies by the liver. When a urine test report is positive for urinary ketone bodies, it is usually likely to be due to prolonged strenuous exercise, starvation, diabetes, etc.