Evaluation of modified nitrite test for diagnosing urinary tract infection in pediatrics

Abstract

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common bacterial infection causing illness in children. It may be difficult to recognize UTI in children because the presenting symptoms and signs are non-specific, particularly in younger children. In addition, urine collection and interpretation of urine tests in children are not easy, and therefore, it may not always be possible to confirm the diagnosis unequivocally. The study was conducted to evaluate the value of the modified nitrite test in diagnosing urinary tract infection (UTI) in children.Methods: The study included 150 children of both sexes, aged below 5 years, who were examined due to suspicion of UTI. The efficacy of the modified nitrite test to predict culture positivity was studied.Results: Modified nitrite test was positive in 14 out of the 26 culture-positive urine samples (sensitivity 53.85%). The specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 96.77%, 77.78%, and 90.91%. The overall diagnostic accuracy was 89.33%.Conclusions: Modified nitrite test is an effective rapid screening test for diagnosing pediatric UTI.