title: Evaluation of ames Multistix-SG for urine specific gravity versus refractometer specific gravity.
abstract: A comparison of urine specific gravity by a commercially available multiple reagent strip (Multistix-SG; Ames Division, Miles Laboratory) versus refractometer specific gravity (TS Meter; American Optical Corporation) was performed on 214 routine urine specimens. Agreement to +/- 0.005 was found in 72% of the specimens (r = 0.80). Urine specific gravity by the Multistix-SG showed a significant positive bias at urine pHs less than or equal to 6.0 and a negative bias at urine pHs greater than 7.0 in comparison to refractometer specific gravity. At concentrated (specific gravity greater than or equal to 1.020) specific gravities, up to 25% of urine specimens were misclassified as not concentrated by Multistix-SG specific gravity in comparison to refractometer specific gravity. The additional cost of the specific gravity reagent to a multiple reagent test strip in addition to the poor performance relative to refractometer specific gravity leads to the conclusion that including this specific gravity methodology on a multiple reagent strip is neither cost effective nor clinically useful.
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / Q000592:standards*; D012031:Refractometry / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D013046:Specific Gravity; D014556:Urine
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic