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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffAlmost anyone — including children and teens — can have red blood cells in the urine. Factors that make this more likely include:
- Age. Many men older than 50 have occasional hematuria due to an enlarged prostate gland.
- Your sex. More than half of all women will have a urinary tract infection at least once in their lives, possibly with some urinary bleeding. Younger men are more likely to have kidney stones or Alport syndrome, a form of hereditary nephritis that can cause blood in the urine.
- A recent infection. Kidney inflammation after a viral or bacterial infection (post-infectious glomerulonephritis) is one of the leading causes of visible urinary blood in children.
- Family history. You may be more prone to urinary bleeding if you have a family history of kidney disease or kidney stones.
- Certain medications. Aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain relievers, and antibiotics such as penicillin are known to increase the risk of urinary bleeding.
- Strenuous exercise. Long-distance runners are especially prone to exercise-induced urinary bleeding. In fact, the condition is sometimes called jogger's hematuria. But anyone who works out strenuously can develop symptoms.
References
- Gerber GS, et al. Evaluation of the urologic patient: History, physical examination, and urinalysis. Wein AJ, et al. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/151836479-3/0/1445/6.html?tocnode=54299533&fromURL=6.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-7216-0798-6..50005-4_96. Accessed Aug. 2, 2011.
- Rose BD, et al. Evaluation of hematuria in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 1, 2011.
- Margulis V, et al. Assessment of hematuria. Medical Clinics of North America. 2011;95:153.
- Sandhu KS, et al. Gross and microscopic hematuria: Guidelines for obstetricians and gynecologists. Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey. 2009;64:39.
- Jimbo M. Evaluation and management of hematuria. Primary Care Clinics in Office Practice. 2010;37:461.
- McDonald MM, et al. Assessment of microscopic hematuria in adults. American Family Physician. 2006;73:1748.
- Mercieri A. Exercise-induced hematuria. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 1, 2011.
- Urinary tract infections: What you need to know. National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/KUDiseases/pubs/uti_ES/index.aspx. Accessed Aug. 2, 2011.
- Hematuria (blood in the urine). National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/KUDiseases/pubs/hematuria/. Accessed Aug. 2, 2011.
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