title: Reliability of using reagent test strips to estimate blood urea nitrogen concentration in dogs and cats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical accuracy of reagent test strips used to estimate BUN concentration in dogs and cats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  116 dogs and 58 cats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples were collected at the time of admission to the hospital. Estimates of BUN concentration obtained with reagent test strips (category 1 [5 to 15 mg/dL], 2 (15 to 26 mg/dL], 3 [30 to 40 mg/dL], or 4 [50 to 80 mg/dL]) were compared with SUN concentrations measured with an automated analyzer. For dogs, category 1 and 2 test strip results were considered a negative result (nonazotemic) and category 3 and 4 test strip results were considered a positive result (azotemic). For cats, category 1, 2, and 3 test strip results were considered a negative result (nonazotemic) and category 4 test strip results were considered a positive result (azotemic).
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the basis of SUN concentration, 40 of the 174 (23%) animals (20 dogs and 20 cats) were classified as azotemic. One dog and 2 cats had false-negative test strip results, and 1 dog had a false-positive result. Sensitivity and specificity were 95% (20/21) and 99% (94/95), respectively, for dogs and 87% (13/15) and 100% (43/43), respectively, for cats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that reagent test strips are a reliable method for rapidly estimating BUN concentrations in dogs and cats. Because test strip results are only semiquantitative and there remains a potential for misclassification, especially in cats, urea nitrogen concentration should ultimately be verified by means of standard chemistry techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA.
authors.forename: Allyson C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Berent
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Scroggin
authors.forename: Dori L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Borjesson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002415:Cats / Q000097:blood; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004285:Dogs / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008297:Male; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000652:urine; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011934:Reagent Strips; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014511:Uremia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D011934:Reagent Strips; D009584:Nitrogen