[Analysis of period of positive urinary antigen detection kit for Streptococcus pneumoniae in patients with pneumococcal pneumonia].
The objectives of this study were to investigate the usefulness of the urinary antigen detection kit for Streptococcus pneumoniae and to analyze the duration of urinary antigen presence in pneumococcal pneumonia. We evaluated this kit in 51 patients whose symptoms and laboratory data suggested pneumococcal pneumonia and who were admitted to Toho University Hospital (Tokyo, Japan) between July 2000 and June 2001. S. pneumoniae urinary antigen was detected in 21 of 51 patients. These 21 patients were further investigated with their clinical characteristics and the duration of a positive urinary antigen reaction. S. pneumoniae was isolated by sputum or blood culture in 10 cases (47.6%), whereas 11 cases (52.4%) showed positive results only with urinary antigen but not in cultures. When the urinary antigen kits were tested, 19 cases (90.5%) were treated with antibiotics. Eleven of the 21 patients were continuously tested with this kit. The mean duration for which these patients were urinary antigen-positive was 7.3 weeks. Patients whose pneumonia was severe or who had positive culture results tended to be positive for urinary antigen for a prolonged period. This kit has high sensitivity and specificity, is suitable for rapid diagnosis and is effective after antibiotic therapy. However, because the positive test kit results are prolonged after recovery from pneumonia in some cases, this kit is not suitable for the evaluation of therapeutic effect.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011018:Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic