Urine dipstick testing to rule out rhabdomyolysis in patients with suspected heat injury.
BACKGROUND
Heat injury is a common, potentially life-threatening medical condition. In austere or mass-casualty conditions an easy to use, sensitive screening test could be a valuable tool to care providers and evacuation planners.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to determine if a simple urine dipstick test for blood is sensitive for detection of rhabdomyolysis in the suspected heat injury patient.


METHODS
A convenience sample of patients presenting to a military community hospital Emergency Department during summer months with a presenting complaint consistent with suspected heat injury had urine dipstick testing performed for blood and compared with the results of formal urinalysis and serum creatine kinase.


RESULTS
60 patients were enrolled in the study, seven had creatine kinase levels greater than 1000 U/L, 14 had levels greater than 500 U/L, and 26 had levels greater than 250 U/L. Using 1000 U/L, urine dipstick testing had a sensitivity of 14% and a specificity of 85%.


CONCLUSIONS
Urine dipstick testing for blood is not a useful screening test for rhabdomyolysis in patients suspected to have significant heat injury.
Young
Scott E
SE
Department of Emergency Medicine, Darnall Army Medical Center, Ft. Hood, TX 76544, USA.
Miller
Michael A
MA
Docherty
Martin
M
D000328:Adult; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D018882:Heat Stress Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012206:Rhabdomyolysis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016482:Urinalysis / Q000379:methods; D014556:Urine / Q000737:chemistry
D003402:Creatine Kinase