Abstract
IntroductionIn line with the national recommendations, Croatian medical laboratories report urine test strip qualitative analysis results using a categorized scale with defined number of categories. Since concentration ranges for measured analytes have not been provided by national professional authority, it is up to the laboratories to define their own categories. The aim of study was to assess the comparability of concentrations assigned to different categories used in reporting the results of dipstick urinalysis in Croatian laboratories.Material and methodsA questionnaire was e-mailed to all Croatian medical laboratories (N = 195). They were asked to provide the number of categories and respective concentrations for each parameter. Data were described as numbers and percentages. Values above the upper reference range limit, which were assigned as normal and/or trace category, were considered as false negative.ResultsResponse rate was 71% (139/195). Seventy percent (98/139) of laboratories report their results with either higher (77/98; 79%) or lower (2/98; 2%) number of categories, relative to the national recommendation, whereas 19/98 (19%) report their results as concentrations. Great heterogeneity of reporting categories was observed. Multiple categories were assigned to same concentrations and there was a large overlap of concentrations for most categories. Considerable proportion of laboratories reported false negative results for ketones (42%), leukocytes (30%) and glucose (21%).ConclusionsThe concentrations assigned to categories used to report the results of dipstick urinalysis are not comparable among Croatian medical laboratories. There is an urgent need for harmonization and standardization of reporting the results of urine dipstick analysis in Croatia.
Highlights
In line with the national recommendations, Croatian medical laboratories report urine test strip qualitative analysis results using a categorized scale with defined number of categories
The concentrations assigned to categories used to report the results of dipstick urinalysis are not comparable among Croatian medical laboratories
There is an urgent need for harmonization and standardization of reporting the results of urine dipstick analysis in Croatia
Summary
In line with the national recommendations, Croatian medical laboratories report urine test strip qualitative analysis results using a categorized scale with defined number of categories. Since concentration ranges for measured analytes have not been provided by national professional authority, it is up to the laboratories to define their own categories. Reporting categories in urine test strip analysis medical laboratory to define their own categories and respective concentration ranges. In Croatia, in line with the recommendation of the Croatian Chamber of Medical Biochemists (CCMB), medical laboratories report the results of urine test strip qualitative analysis using the categorized scale with a defined number of categories (Table 1) [1]. Respective concentrations or concentration ranges for measured analytes have not been provided by CCMB and it is up to the laboratory to decide which category to assign to particular concentration of analyte in urine
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