Urine Dipstick Accurately Predicts Renal Failure

The presence of excess protein in a common urine test is an effective prognostic marker of acute renal failure in patients with severe sepsis.

A urine dipstick test is routinely done as part of a urinalysis to help diagnose urinary tract infections, kidney disease, diabetes, and sepsis, the deadly bloodstream infection.

At the Henry Ford Hospital (Detroit, MI, USA) scientists analyzed data from 328 sepsis patients with no previous history of protein in the urine. After a urine sample was taken, a specially treated chemical strip was placed into the sample. The presence of such things as white blood cells, protein, or glucose in the urine is indicated by patches on the dipstick, which change color.

Many studies have shown the dipstick test to be a rapid detector for identifying urinary tract infections. However, this the first time the dipstick test has been evaluated for its accuracy of identifying renal failure in sepsis patients. They found the urine dipstick test predicted the presence of renal failure in 55% of these patients.

Javier Neyra, MD, a third-year resident at Henry Ford and the study's lead author, said, "The dipstick test excess protein, or proteinuria, resulted in fewer false positives and a greater threshold for detecting more severe renal failure compared to other biomarkers. Ultimately, the test may provide timely and early diagnosis of renal failure before substantial damage has already been done. This is a useful test that is widely available and inexpensive." The results of the study were presented at the National Kidney Foundation's annual meeting May 9-13, 2012, held in Washington DC, USA).

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