J Korean Pediatr Soc.  1996 Aug;39(8):1122-1129.

Cytodiagnostic Urinalysis in the Differentiation of Leukocyturias of Children with Bacterial Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) from Those of Children without UTI

• Ha IS
• Cheong HI
• Hong YJ
• Kim JQ
• Choi Y

Abstract

PURPOSE
Although routine urinalysis can detect leukocyturia, difficulties remain in differentiating subpopulations of leukocytes and various epithelial cells in urinary sediments. This study was performed to appreciate the value of cytodiagnostic urinalysis in the discrimination of leukocyturias of bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI) from those without UTI.
METHODS
Urine from 12 children with UTI (UTI group) and from 11 children without UTI (non-UTI group) were subjected to cytodiagnostics urinalysis. The number of cases presenting one or more cells of each type in 10 high power fields, and the mean cell numbers observed in a high power field were compared between the two groups.
RESULTS
Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) appeared in all cases of the UTI group and in 55% of the non-UTI group, whereas renal tubular epithelial cells were detected in none of the UTI group and 55% of the non-UTI group. In the UTI group, more number of total cells, total WBCs, PMNs and less renal tubular epithelial cells were observed compared to the non-UTI group.
CONCLUSIONS
Identification and measurement of the number of PMNs and the renal tubular epithelial cells by cytodiagnostic urinalysis can aid in the discrimination of leukocyturias of children with UTI from those without it.

Keyword

Cytodiagnostic urinalysis; Leukocyturia; Urinary tract infection (UTI); Children; Urinary sediment

MeSH Terms

Cell Count
Child*
Discrimination (Psychology)
Epithelial Cells
Humans
Leukocytes
Neutrophils
Urinalysis*
Urinary Tract Infections*
Urinary Tract*