Home screening for bacteriuria in children with spina bifida and clean intermittent catheterization

Abstract

BackgroundSignificant bacteriuria (SBU) and urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in patients with spina bifida and neuropathic detrusor sphincter dysfunction. Laboratory agar plated culture is the gold standard to establish SBU. It has the disadvantage of diagnostic and subsequent therapeutic delay. Leukocyte esterase tests (LETs) and dip slides proved to be useful in the general populations to exclude SBU and UTI. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of LET and dip slide in children with spina bifida without symptoms of UTI. The reliability in children with asymptomatic SBU was not studied before.MethodsIn one hundred and twelve children with spina bifida on clean intermittent catheterization LETs and dip slides were compared with laboratory cultures. Both tests and agar plated cultures were performed on catheterized urine samples. The hypothesis was that the home tests are as accurate as laboratory cultures.ResultsA SBU was found in 45 (40%) of the 112 laboratory cultures. A negative LET excluded SBU (negative predictive value 96%), while a positive LET had a positive predictive value of 72%. The false positive rate was 28%. Dip slide determination of bacterial growth had no added value, other than serving as transport medium.ConclusionsIn spina bifida children, leukocyte esterase testing can be used to exclude significant bacteriuria at home, while dip slide tests have no added value to diagnose or exclude significant bacteriuria.

Emergence of antimicrobial-resistant uropathogens isolated from pediatric patients with cystitis on daily clean intermittent catheterization

“…Previous reports showed that E. coli were found in 75.3e86% [1,5] of children with community-acquired UTI. However, E. coli was found in 57.8% of pediatric patients with CIC as asymptomatic bacteriuria [6]. In this study, E. coli strains accounted for 53% of the isolated pathogens.…”