Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy, cilt.32, sa.2, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Objective: A substantial proportion of urine cultures in patients with suspected urinary tract infections (UTIs) yield negative results. This study aimed to evaluate whether parameters from automated urinalysis could predict the likelihood of significant bacterial growth, thereby aiding in reducing unnecessary cultures. Methods: A total of 696 patients (402 females, 294 males) undergoing urinalysis with the FUS-200 automated analyzer were evaluated. Urine cultures were processed using the BD Phoenix 100 system. Demographic data and urinalysis parameters were compared according to culture results. Results: Among culture-negative patients, females were younger (median age: 45 vs. 58 years, p = 0.000) and had significantly higher leukocyte, erythrocyte, and bacterial counts (p = 0.000). In culture-positive cases, females were younger than males (55 vs. 72.5 years, p = 0.000), though they had lower leukocyte counts (p = 0.029). Gram-negative infections were associated with significantly higher leukocyte and bacterial counts compared to gram-positive infections (p < 0.05), along with increased nitrite and leukocyte esterase positivity. ROC analysis identified optimal cut-off values for predicting significant culture growth: leukocyte count ≥16.5 (sensitivity, 79.5 %; specificity, 79.9 %) and bacterial count ≥2.5 (sensitivity, 77.6 %; specificity, 79.3 %). Cut-off values were higher in females (leukocytes: 23.5, bacteria: 5.5) than in males (leukocytes: 11.5, bacteria: 0.5). Conclusion: The practical utility of the defined normal range values for urinary leukocyte count is limited. The predictive power of urinalysis parameters for culture results is affected by patient gender. For predicting significant bacterial growth in males, we recommend leukocyte and bacteria cut-off values of 11.5/HPF and 0.5/HPF, respectively (with >85 % sensitivity and specificity). In females, leukocyte and bacterial counts in urine provide poor predictive value for culture positivity.