Diagnostic Performance of Automated Urinalysis and Urine Dipstick for UTIs in Young Children

In a prospective observational study, investigators determined performance characteristics of urine automated flow cytometry and point-of care dipstick testing for diagnosing urinary tract infections (UTIs) in children <48 months of age presenting with fever (≥38°C) to a single pediatric emergency department over one year. Urine was collected by sterile catheterization technique at the discretion of the treating provider. UTI was defined as culture growth of ≥50,000 colony forming units per mL of a single urinary pathogen.

Of 342 patients (median age, 8 months), 42 (12%) had UTIs, with cultures positive for Escherichia coli (37), Klebsiella pneumoniae (3), K. oxytoca (1), and Enterococcus faecium (1). Overall, automated bacterial count ≥250 …