Comparing dipstick tests with other urinalysis methods in Kosovo

AUTORI

ABSTRACT

Introduction: dipsticks for urine examination are not commonly used in Kosovo. In order to understand if the dipsticks show adequate analytical performances, this study is aimed to compare the strips with the more traditional methods (use of reagents method and microscopy).
Methods: five parameters (leukocytes, erythrocytes, proteins, bilirubin and specific gravity) have been examined. These were determined using the dipstick test, microscope and reagents. 320 samples were distribute to University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Family Medicine Clinical Center and private laboratories during March-June 2019.
Results: using the dipstick test, 71.3% of cases were observed to be negative for urine leukocytes. On the other hand, when determined by microscopy, only 12.9% were negative. In the case of the microscope, there are many cases (23.0%) which resulted in low erythrocyte presence while 5.1% of cases were positive with the dipstick test. Only minor the differences for bilirubin presence were observed between the results of tests measured with a dipstick and those with reagent. Proteins and specific gravity determinations showed adequate agreement between the two techniques. Cohen’s kappa coefficients are 0.33, 0.52, 0.84 for bilirubin, proteins and specific gravity respectively.
Conclusion: dipstick method for leukocytes showed too many negative results when compared to microscopy evaluation, while for erythrocytes, proteins, bilirubin, a more adequate agreement was observed. A more diffuse use of the dipstick test could be recommended in Kossovo.

BIBLIOGRAFIA