Urine sodium and chloride excretion are similar and, under steady state conditions, both the urinary sodium and chloride excretion reflect the intake of sodium chloride. During states of extracellular volume depletion, low values indicate appropriate renal reabsorption of these ions, whereas elevated values indicate inappropriate excretion (renal wasting). Urinary sodium and chloride excretion may be dissociated during metabolic alkalosis with volume depletion where urine sodium excretion may be high (due to renal excretion of sodium bicarbonate) while urine chloride excretion remains appropriately low.