title: An approach to standardization of urine sediment analysis via suggestion of a common manual protocol.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The results of urine sediment analysis have been reported semiquantitatively. However, as recent guidelines recommend quantitative reporting of urine sediment, and with the development of automated urine sediment analyzers, there is an increasing need for quantitative analysis of urine sediment. Here, we developed a protocol for urine sediment analysis and quantified the results.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on questionnaires, various reports, guidelines, and experimental results, we developed a protocol for urine sediment analysis. The results of this new protocol were compared with those obtained with a standardized chamber and an automated sediment analyzer. Reference intervals were also estimated using new protocol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We developed a protocol with centrifugation at 400 g for 5 min, with the average concentration factor of 30. The correlation between quantitative results of urine sediment analysis, the standardized chamber, and the automated sediment analyzer were generally good. The conversion factor derived from the new protocol showed a better fit with the results of manual count than the default conversion factor in the automated sediment analyzer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We developed a protocol for manual urine sediment analysis to quantitatively report the results. This protocol may provide a mean for standardization of urine sediment analysis.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Laboratory Medicine , University of Ulsan College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center , Seoul ;
authors.forename: Dae-Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: b Department of Laboratory Medicine , Konkuk University School of Medicine and Medical Center , Seoul ;
authors.forename: Misuk
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: c Department of Laboratory Medicine , Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine , Goyang , Korea.
authors.forename: Sollip
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: a Department of Laboratory Medicine , University of Ulsan College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center , Seoul ;
authors.forename: Eun-Jung
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: a Department of Laboratory Medicine , University of Ulsan College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center , Seoul ;
authors.forename: Woochang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: b Department of Laboratory Medicine , Konkuk University School of Medicine and Medical Center , Seoul ;
authors.forename: Yeo-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.affiliation: a Department of Laboratory Medicine , University of Ulsan College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center , Seoul ;
authors.forename: Sail
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.affiliation: a Department of Laboratory Medicine , University of Ulsan College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center , Seoul ;
authors.forename: Won-Ki
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Min
mesh_terms: D002498:Centrifugation; D064790:Clinical Laboratory Services; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012015:Reference Standards; D012016:Reference Values; D016482:Urinalysis / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards
keywords: Microscopy; flow cytometry; laboratory routines and automation; laboratory standardization; specimen collection and transportation; urinalysis