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London, UK (SPX) Sep 25, 2024 A new study has revealed that human urine can serve as a viable, eco-friendly alternative to synthetic fertilizers, showing minimal impact on soil bacterial [...]

2022 FEB 12 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week -- Investigators publish new report on bladder cancer. According to news reporting from [...]

Background: There is increasing evidence that acid-base status has a significant effect on high-intensity physical performance, urolithiasis, and calcium metabolism. Experimental studies in adults showed that renal net acid excretion (NAE) can be reliably estimated from the composition of diets. Objective: We investigated whether a reasonable estimation of NAE is also possible from the dietary records of free-living children and adolescents. Design: Healthy children (aged 8 y: n = 165) and adolescents (aged 16-18 y: n = 73) each collected a 24-h urine sample and completed a weighed diet record on the same day. Urinary NAE was analyzed ([NAE.sub.an]) and estimated ([NAE.sub.es]). Potential renal acid load (PRAL), the diet-based component of [NAE.sub.es], corrects for intestinal absorption of ingested minerals and sulfur-containing protein. A urinary excretion rate of organic acids (OAs) proportional to body surface area was assumed for the complete estimate ([NAE.sub.es] = PRAL + [OA.sub.es]). Results: Significant (P < 0.001) correlations between [NAE.sub.es] and [NAE.sub.an] were seen in the children (r = 0.43) and the adolescents (r = 0.51). A simplified estimate based on only 4 components of dietary PRAL (protein, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium) yielded almost identical associations. Mean simplified [NAE.sub.es] (32.6 [+ or -] 13.9 and 58.4 [+ or -] 22.0 mEq/d in the children and the adolescents, respectively) agreed reasonably with [NAE.sub.an] (32.4 [+ or -] 15.5 and 52.8 [+ or -] 24.3 mEq/d, respectively). Conclusions: Predicting NAE from dietary intakes, food tables, and anthropometric data is also applicable during growth and yields appropriate estimates even when self-selected diets are consumed. The PRAL estimate based on only 4 nutrients may allow relatively simple assessment of the acidity of foods and diets. Am J Clin Nutr 2003:77: 1255-60. KEY WORDS Biomarkers, children, adolescents, dietary record, food table, mineral intake, nutrient bioavailability, potential renal acid load, protein intake, renal net acid excretion, 24-h urine collection

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of parental type 2 diabetes on the autonomic nervous system and to determine whether autonomic neuropathy is present and associated [...]

Objectives: To determine the utility of urine-based ligase chain reaction assays for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis in (1) the acceptability of such testing to adolescent detainees, (2) the potential use of these tests for identifying asymptomatic infections, and (3) the effectiveness of this approach for ensuring treatment of infected adolescents. Design: Cross-sectional screening and verification of treatment for infected cases. Subjects: Adolescents admitted to a short-term juvenile detention center. Main Outcome Measures: Neisseria gonorrhoeae and C trachomatis infection rates, and timing and location of treatment for infected patients. Results: Refusal rate was 1.5%. Of 263 participants, 46 (17.5%) were female subjects. Chlamydia trachomatis infections were identified in 28.3% of the female and 8.8% of the male subjects. Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections were present in 13.1% of the female and 2.8% of the male subjects. Overall, 37 participants (14%) were positive for N gonorrhoeae, C trachomatis, or both, only one of whom had symptoms. Almost 70% (25/36) of asymptomatic infected subjects were treated within 28 days of screening. A treatment was documented in 36 of the 37 infected youth, including 20 who were followed up and treated after release from the detention center, by 6 months after testing. Conclusion: Urine ligase chain reaction tests were effective for identifying and guiding treatment of unsuspected N gonorrhoeae and C trachomatis infections in teenagers admitted to a short-term detention center where traditional swab specimens may be difficult to obtain. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1998;152:52-56, Analyzing urine samples with the ligase-chain reaction may be an effective way of testing teenagers in detention centers for sexually transmitted diseases. Traditional diagnostic tests that rely on genital swabs may not be accepted by such teenagers. Researchers used the ligase-chain reaction on urine samples of 263 teenagers in detention centers and found that 37 (14%) tested positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea although only one teen had symptoms. The incidence of chlamydia and gonorrhea was higher in girls than boys. Most of the teens were treated.

Routine dipstick screening for proteinuria does not appear to predict preeclampsia in pregnant women who are not hypertensive. Proteinuria is the presence of excess protein in the urine. Preeclampsia is toxemia of late pregnancy which causes hypertension, proteinuria, and swelling; in severe cases, it may lead to convulsions and coma. A total of 3,104 women had an average of 10 urine dipsticks for protein each taken during pregnancy. About 93% of the dipstick tests were routine screening tests and about 6% were considered diagnostic tests because of risk factors present in the mother for hypertension. The risk factors were swelling of the lower extremities; an average weekly weight gain of three pounds or more; or systolic blood pressure greater than 140 mm Hg and a diastolic blood pressure of greater than 90 mm Hg.

A measure of the concentration of particles, such as electrolytes, urea, and glucose in a solution, osmolality can help check the patient's fluid balance. The lab may use an osmometer to measure osmolality, but serum osmolality can be calculated from the patient's serum levels of sodium, blood urea nitrogen and glucose, while urine osmolality is commonly tested to determine the kidney's ability to concentrate urine.

Objective: Due to its affinity for alcohol dehydrogenase, ethylene glycol is rapidly metabolized to a number of toxic organic acids. Death from ethylene glycol poisoning is usually secondary to the effects of profound anion gap metabolic acidosis with resulting cardiac, respiratory and renal failure. Case Report: A 42-year-old female was found slumped over in her car. An empty antifreeze container (ethylene glycol) was also found. Based on the accumulated evidence, the victim appeared to have ingested the antifreeze about 4 days prior to the discovery of the body. Autopsy findings showed death to be the result of pulmonary edema. Toxicological analysis using gas chromatography failed to show any evidence of ethylene glycol in either postmortem blood or urine samples. Results: Gas chromatography showed high levels of glycolic acid in both the serum and urine of the deceased confirming death secondary to ethylene glycol ingestion. Conclusion: The confirmation of death secondary to ethylene glycol poisoning may require additional testing for the presence of ethylene glycol metabolites. The finding of glycolic acid in biological specimens indicates recent exposure to ethylene glycol and may help substantiate the cause of death. The finding of calcium oxalate crystals should alert the pathologist to request testing for the presence of ethylene glycol and glycolic acid in the deceased., Eisenga BH, Kuslikis BI, Cohle S, Radecki T. DeVos Children's Hospital Regional Poison Center and Spectrum Health, Grand Rapids, [...]

The Amplicor CT/NG test uses polymerase chain reaction technology and a microwell plate format to test for both chlamydia and gonorrhea from a urine sample. The test is far more [...]

(Streptococcus pneumoniae urinary antigen test, Binax) A rapid urine test for detecting S. pneumoniae, the first such test. * Recommended Usage: Results available within 15 minutes of dropping a reagent [...]

Background and Objectives: Nucleic acid amplification testing is the most accurate approach to diagnosing Chlamydia trachomatis infections. Our objective was to compare the accuracy and cost savings of pooling urines as opposed to individual testing. Study Design: Strategies of pooling urine specimens into groups of four (4 x pool) or eight (8x pool) followed by testing the positive pools individually were compared to individual specimen testing to determine if significant cost savings could be realized without compromising the sensitivity and specificity of the LCx C. trachomatis Assay (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, Chicago, IL) performed in a busy private medical laboratory. Results: A total of 1,220 patient urine samples, 1,187 male (97%) and 33 female (3%), were tested using the normal LCx specimen to cutoff ratio (S/CO) of 1.0 and a decreased S/CO value of 0.2. Individual testing identified 98.2% (109/111) of positive urines. The 4x pooling maneuver identified 92.8% (103/111) of positive patients with the regular cutoff and 96.4 % (107/111) when the cutoff was decreased. These values were 95.9% (47/49) and 97.9% (48/49), respectively, when eight urines were pooled. Both pooling and individual testing strategies identified all the negative samples accurately. Cost savings of pooling were calculated to be 44.5 % for pools of four and 37.5% for pools of eight, applying the lowered cutoff. Conclusions: Pooling urine specimens for testing with the C. trachomatis LCx system is a simple, accurate, and cost-saving approach that can significantly reduce the cost of amplified nucleic acid testing with minimal sacrifice of testing accuracy., Pooling urine specimens for testing with the C. trachomatis LCx system can save money without sacrificing diagnostic accuracy. The C. trachomatis LCx system uses nucleic acid amplification, which is the most accurate method of diagnosing Chlamydia trachomatis infections.

The evaluation and management of patients with urinary tract infections occupies a significant amount of time, energy, and resources in the typical general urology practice. One large clinical data set [...]

When to update equipment? Q: Is there an "equation" or rule of thumb for determining when you have outgrown a chemistry analyzer and to help identify and justify an upgrade [...]

The routine screening of pregnant women for bacteria in the urine which do not produce noticeable symptoms (asymptomatic bacteriuria) has been recommended as standard practice since the 1960s. Untreated bacteriuria can result in pyelonephritis, a kidney infection, and according to some research, premature delivery. To determine whether routine screening of patients for bacteriuria is cost saving and cost effective in light of new techniques, the relative costs of screening and not screening were compared. The likelihood of a pregnant women getting a kidney infection was two cases per 100 screened women compared to 3.5 cases in the unscreened group. The cost of screening 100 patients is estimated to be $9,939, compared with not screening, which cost $12,824 once the cost of the care and treatment of kidney infections were factored in. Using cost analysis techniques, it was determined that screening pregnant women for bacteriuria appears to be cost effective if the price of the test remains below $26. The risk of premature delivery as a result of pyelonephritis is unclear, somewhere between 13.5 and 27 percent of women having no symptoms of bacteriuria. However, the risk for prematurity is decreased by 10 percent with treatment of the condition. The routine screening of pregnant women for bacteriuria is cost effective and cost saving and should clearly remain a standard of practice., Screening women for asymptomatic bacteriuria on the first prenatal visit is a standard of obstetric care. Treating women with positive results decreases the risk of pyelonephritis and possible prematurity. This study uses decision and cost analysis to compare the utility of screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria with not screening. Data are based on published reports and average charges for services. Costs are based on 1988 charges, projected for the expected results of outpatient screening, possible suppressive therapy, and risks of pyelonephritis. Screening is based on the combined sensitivities and specificities of the MacConkey and CLED (cysteine-lactose-electrolyte-deficient agar) panels of the dip-slide culture. Under the baseline assumptions, the risk of pyelonephritis is estimated to be 2 cases per 100 screened women vs 3.5 cases per 100 unscreened women. The anticipated cost of screening 100 women is 9,939, compared with $12,824 for not screening 100 women. Screening is cost saving unless the cost of screening is above $26, the length of hospitalization for pyelonephritis is fewer than 2.2 days, the risk of asymptomatic bacteriuria falls below 211., the risk of pyelonephritis with asymptomatic bacteriuria falls below 13%, or the efficacy of treatment in preventing pyelonephritis falls below 38%., Screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy has become a standard of prenatal care, recommended to be done at the first prenatal visit.[1] As early as 1960, Kass' advocated screening for [...]

Q Are there such things as Pyridium crystals in a urine sediment? A To my knowledge, crystals of Pyridium have not been described in urinary sediment. If other crystals are [...]

Objective: To determine the most cost-effective method of screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea to prevent pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in asymptomatic sexually active adolescent females. Design: Cost-effectiveness decision analysis comparing pelvic examination with cervical screening (the current national standard) with a model of urine screening with ligase chain reaction testing for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Methods: Four strategies using decision analysis were compared for a potential cohort of 100 000 asymptomatic sexually active young women: (1) pelvic examination screening in 100%; (2) urine screening in 100%; (3) actual predicted pelvic examination screening in 70%; and (4) actual predicted urine screening in 90%. Assumptions and costs were generated from published sources. Main Outcome Measures: Cases of PID prevented per year and cost to prevent a case of PID. Results: A total of 1750 cases of PID would be predicted to occur per year with no screening. Strategy 1 would prevent the most cases of PID (1283) at a mean cost of $10 230. Strategy 2 would prevent 1215 cases of PID at a mean cost of $5093. The marginal cost to prevent an additional case of PID by strategy 1 is $101 454. Strategy 3 would prevent 898 cases of PID and 1093 cases of PID would be prevented with urine screening in strategy 4. Conclusion: Urine-based ligase chain reaction screening is the most cost-effective strategy to detect chlamydial and gonococcal genital infection in asymptomatic sexually active adolescent females and, owing to ease of implementation, the most likely to prevent the greatest number of cases of PID. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1999;153:119-125, Screening urine samples, rather than cervical smears, for evidence of chlamydia or gonorrhea infection appears to be the most cost-effective method of screening for disease in sexually-active adolescent girls. Annual pelvic examinations have been recommended for sexually-transmitted disease (STD) screening of teenage girls. However, the test is costly, invasive, and uncomfortable for the patient. Researchers compared pelvic examinations with cervical smear testing and the testing of urine samples in the diagnosis of STDs. Both tests effectively identify infected patients, but the urine test is more easily performed and much less expensive. Community clinics could easily undertake routine urine screening for STD diagnosis.