Does pyuria indicate infection in asymptomatic dialysis patients?

Clin Nephrol. 1997 Jan;47(1):50-1.

Abstract

It has been suggested that the finding of leukocyturia > 10 WBC/HPF in asymptomatic dialysis patients predicts a positive urine culture and hence indicates urinary tract infection. Seventeen asymptomatic ESRD patients contributed clean catch specimens. Nine patients had ten or more WBC/HPF. One of these grew a possible pathogen in pure culture (23% of specimens excluding those growing multiple organisms). Thus, leukocyturia is not a good marker for positive urine culture and moreover is not demonstrated to indicate infection even when positive cultures follow.

MeSH terms

  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / isolation & purification*
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / complications
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / diagnosis*
  • Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / complications
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / therapy
  • Pyuria / diagnosis*
  • Pyuria / microbiology
  • Renal Dialysis*
  • Risk Factors
  • Urine / microbiology*