Discrediting microscopic pyuria and leucocyte esterase as diagnostic surrogates for infection in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms: results from a clinical and laboratory evaluation

Abstract

Pyuria performs badly as a surrogate of UTI in patients with LUTS. This is exacerbated by cell loss during storage, and neither centrifugation, nor staining, appears to confer any diagnostic advantage. Clinicians should be alerted to the significant limitations of these tests.