Screening for Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Pregnant
Women : Urinalysis Versus Urine Culture
CHOMPILAS CHONGSOMCHAI, M.D.*,
PISAKE LUMBIGANON, M.D., M.S.*,
EKACHAI PIANSRIW ATCHARA, M.D.*,
KESKAEW PIANTHA WEECHAI, M.Sc. **
Affiliation : * Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University,
** Department of Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Associated, Medical Sciences, Khon Kaen University. Khon Kaen
40002, Thailand.
AbstractA diagnostic test study was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic performance of a simple
urinalysis as a screening test for asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) in pregnant women. Seven
hundred and seventy four asymptomatic pregnant women attending their first antenatal care at
Srinagarind Hospital from June 1, 1994 to January 31, 1995 were studied. Simple urinalysis and
urine culture were performed on all 774 subjects. The presence of~ 5 WBC/HPF of centrifuged
urine indicated a positive test. ABU was defined as the presence of~ J05 colony forming units of
single bacteria per milliliter of urine. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative
predictive value and accuracy of simple urinalysis in detecting ABU, using urine culture as a gold
standard were calculated. Simple urinalysis had a 18.4 per cent sensitivity, 97.2 per cent specificity,
45.7 per cent positive predictive value, 90.4 per cent negative predictive value and 88.4 per cent
accuracy in detecting ABU. Because of its low sensitivity and the possible consequences of ABU,
simple urinalysis should not be used as a screening test for ABU.
Keywords : Screening, Urinalysis, Urine Culture, Asymptomatic Bacteriuria, Pregnancy
All Articles
Download
