Investigations

Your Organisational Guidance

ebpracticenet urges you to prioritise the following organisational guidance:

Cystitis bij de vrouwPublished by: Werkgroep Ontwikkeling Richtlijnen Eerste Lijn (Worel)Last published: 2017La cystite chez la femmePublished by: Groupe de Travail Développement de recommmandations de première ligneLast published: 2017

1st investigations to order

urinalysis

Test
Result
Test

Performed on clean catch mid-stream dipstick specimen.

Indicated if diagnosis is uncertain, or if complicating features are present.[35]

The presence of haematuria combined with a positive dipstick test for nitrites has a high diagnostic utility for ruling in the diagnosis of urinary tract infection.[32]

Result

positive for leukocyte esterase, nitrites, and haemoglobin

urine microscopy

Test
Result
Test

Performed on clean catch mid-stream dipstick specimen.

Greater than 10 WBC per high-powered field of an unspun urine is considered diagnostic.

Microscopic detection of red blood cells instead of haemoglobin excludes false-positive urinalysis results from myoglobin or haemoglobin. Epithelial cells suggest a contaminated specimen.

Result

presence of red blood cells, white blood cells, and bacteria

urine culture with sensitivity

Test
Result
Test

Performed on clean catch mid-stream dipstick specimen.[36]

Greater than 10³ colony-forming units/mL of urine is the gold standard of diagnosis. Many laboratories use the cutoff of only 10⁴ colony-forming units/mL of urine. For a suprapubic aspirate, the cutoff of only 10² colony-forming units/mL of urine should be applied.[37]

Most specific and sensitive. Positive urine culture identifies infecting organism. Enables modification of treatment based on antibiotic susceptibility.[36]

Result

identification of infecting organism

Investigations to consider

pregnancy test

Test
Result
Test

Screened before treatment if applicable.

Result

positive

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