Emergency Notes

-LE (produced by neutrophils in the urine) can read falsely negative with oxidizing antibiotics such as cephalexin, nitrofurantoin, tetracycline and gentamicin as well as vitamin C

-Nitrites (converted from nitrate by bacteria in the urine) can read falsely positive if the dipstick was exposed to air (ie 1 week of exposure to air results in 33% false positive)
Nitrites and bacteria to be highly specific but not sensitive while LE and WBC >5 were found to be quite sensitive but not specific.


http://boringem.com/2012/12/12/urinalysis-voodoo/

 

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