title: Haematuria in the diagnosis of urinary calculi.
abstract: The aims of this study were to compare the sensitivity of urine dipstix (Combur 9 test) versus urine microscopy in detecting haematuria and to determine the proportion of patients with renal or ureteric colic due to urinary calculi who have haematuria. This is a prospective study of 122 patients presenting to an emergency department in a tertiary teaching hospital with symptoms suggestive of renal or ureteric colic. The same urine specimen tested using dipstix was sent for urine microscopic examination for haematuria, after which a plain radiograph of the kidneys, ureter and bladder was done. An early intravenous urogram was done (delay of an average of 4 days). Telephone interviews were done to determine whether any calculi had been passed. Urine dipstix detected haematuria in 95.4% [95% confidence intervals (CI) 87.1% to 100.0%] of patients with urinary calculi, whilst urine microscopy detected haematuria in 70.8% (95% CI 58.2% to 92.6%). This study showed that urine Combur 9 is more sensitive than urine microscopy in detecting haematuria. The combined use of urine Combur 9 and microscopy does not increase the sensitivity of detecting haematuria. In the absence of haematuria on urine Combur 9 for suspected ureteric colic, alternative diagnoses should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, National University Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Ooi
authors.forename: N W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Kour
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahadev
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003085:Colic / Q000175:diagnosis; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006417:Hematuria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011934:Reagent Strips; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014513:Ureter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014514:Ureteral Calculi / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000652:urine*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014567:Urography
chemical_list: D011934:Reagent Strips