UF-100 flow cytometer and urine strip results were cross-interpreted to predict culture outcomes. The best negative predictive value was obtained with bacteria at >1,000/l, white blood cells at >20/l, or leukocyte esterase positivity. Nine of 24 false negatives were clinically significant. Thus, UF-100 and urine strip results do not accurately predict the outcome of cultures.Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common cause of human illness, and failure to diagnose and treat it properly can lead to further chronic morbidity. Quantitative urine culture and identification are still the standard laboratory procedures for definitive diagnosis of UTI. In our laboratory, 70% of the urine culture requests are negative.We were interested in eliminating the costs and time expended in examinations of these negative cultures. We investigated the feasibility of achieving our aim by combining the results obtained with the UF-100 urine flow cytometer and those obtained with urine sticks to predict the outcome of urine cultures.Fresh midstream clean-catch urine samples (10 ml, n ϭ 554) collected in accordance with standard guidelines (4) and transported by a pneumatic tube system (Aerocom GmbH &Co., Kernen, Germany) were randomly selected for the study.The specimens came from 284 females (mean age, 52 years; age range, 1 month to 95 years) and 270 males (mean age, 56 years; age range, 1 week to 93 years)

We aimed to reduce the number of manual urine microscopy examinations safely by cross-interpretation of the Sysmex UF-100 (TOA Medical Electronics, Kobe, Japan) and urine strip results such that microscopy would be performed if there was discordance between the UF-100 and urine strip results. We also evaluated the usefulness of the optional UF-100 expert software. We performed 2 studies: study 1 to establish review rules for eventual microscopic examination; study 2, a validation study. Our review rates were 40% and 48% and those of UF-100 software were 16% and 32% for the 2 studies. Our false-positive and false-negative results, among the samples not flagged for microscopic review, were acceptably low. We did not find a good correlation between the microscopic classification of RBC morphologic features and the classification given by the UF-100. Since incorporation of the automated urine strip reader and the UF-100 in routine use, our manual microscopy has been reduced to less than 40%.

Aution Max AX-4280, an automated urine test-strip analyser, was evaluated in three centres. Method comparison, imprecision, carry-over, linearity, detection limit and drift studies were performed for glucose, protein, blood and leukocytes using Uriflet S 9UB strips. These strips enable measurement of pH, glucose, protein, blood, leukocytes, ketones, bilirubin, urobilinogen and nitrite. Specific gravity is determined by the refractive index method. Within-run and between-day imprecision, assessed using pooled urines and quality control materials, were good. No drift over 24 h or sample carry-over was observed. Method comparison with quantitative methods for glucose, protein and specific gravity yielded good correlations. Ascorbate negatively interfered with haemoglobin, glucose and nitrite measurements. Acetylsalicylic acid lowered pH, the effect being greatest when protein was absent. During the assessment period no malfunction or breakdown was reported. The Aution Max is easy to use and needs minimal maintenance.