Urine clarity inaccurate to rule out urinary tract infection in women.

J Am Board Fam Med · 2011

cross_sectional · Level IV

Where this comes from

Abstract

BACKGROUND: A previous study suggested that, among children, a clear urine sample accurately rules out urinary tract infection. The aim of this study was to replicate this previous study done in an adult female population. METHODS: We analyzed 100 anonymous urine samples from female patients ages 18 to 50 years who were receiving care in a university hospital system. Urine samples were tested for clarity by determining if newsprint could be legibly read through them. RESULTS: Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for the newsprint test were 13.3%, 96.5%, 40.0%, and 86.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Visual inspection of urine clarity was not sufficiently accurate to rule out urinary tract infection in women.