Henry Ford Hospital researchers have found that the presence of excess protein in a common urine test is an effective prognostic marker of acute renal failure in patients with severe sepsis.
Â
Researchers analyzed data from 328 sepsis patients with no previous history of protein in the urine and found the urine dipstick test predicted the presence of renal failure in 55 percent of these patients.
Â
A urine dipstick test is routinely done as part of a urinalysis to help diagnose urinary tract infections, kidney disease, diabetes and sepsis, the deadly bloodstream infection. After a urine sample is taken, a specially treated chemical strip is placed into the sample. Patches on the dipstick will change color to indicate the presence of such things as white blood cells, protein, or glucose.
Â
Many studies have shown the dipstick test to be a rapid detector for identifying urinary tract infections. Henry Ford researchers evaluated for the first time the dipstick test for its accuracy of identifying renal failure in sepsis patients.
 Results of the study were presented Thursday at the National Kidney Foundations annual meeting in Washington, D.C.
Â
This is a useful test that is widely available and inexpensive, says Javier Neyra, MD, a third-year resident at Henry Ford and the studys lead author.
Dr. Neyra says the dipstick test excess protein, or proteinria, resulted in fewer false positives and a greater threshold for detecting more severe renal failure compared to other biomarkers. Ultimately, he says, the test may provide timely and early diagnosis of renal failure before substantial damage has already been done.
Â
The study was funded by Henry Ford Hospital.
CDC Strategies Preventing Hospital-Onset C difficile Effectiveness Inconclusive in Testing
April 15th 2024Hospitals using CDC prevention strategies had different incidences of hospital-associated Clostridioides difficile infection compared to those that didn't, but the reasons are not necessarily the strategies themselves.
Unlocking the Power of AI in Hospital Infection Prevention: A Sustainable Approach to HAIs
April 11th 2024Read on about how, as hospitals grapple with the costly burden of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), artificial intelligence (AI) emerges as a game-changer in revolutionizing infection prevention strategies.