Correlation Between the Urine Analysis in Neonates with Renal Anomaly

According to the literature, urine analysis to diagnose urinary tract infection (UTI) in neonates is not the basis. It even is not recommended as a part of the evaluation, but some abnormalities in a simple urine test in neonates with UTI may be associated with urinary tract anomaly. Therefore, a simple urine test in neonates with UTI can be helpful for early diagnosis and timely treatment of urinary tract anomalies.

This study was performed as a cross-sectional study. First, 100 neonates hospitalized for various reasons and diagnosed with urinary tract infections were chosen. Before treatment, urine samples were taken from all neonates by catheterization or suprapubic sterility for culture and urine bag for urinalysis. Finally, neonates with positive culture were treated with antibiotics and evaluated; kidney and urinary tract ultrasound and voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) is used to diagnose renal anomalies. The obtained information from urine analysis of neonates without urinary tract anomalies was compared with urinary tract anomalies neonates by SPSS 21 software. To compare the qualitative data, the chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were used, whereas to compare the quantitative data, we used Wilcoxon test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Out of 100 patients who were evaluated, only 30 patients had renal anomalies. No statistically significant correlation was found between gender, cause of hospitalization, positive culture, and type of organism with the renal anomaly. However, pyuria (P-value 0.003), bacteriuria (P-value 0.016), fever (P-value 0.002), nitrite positive (P-value 0.001), and leukocyte esterase (P-value 0.001) showed a statistically significant correlation with the renal anomaly.

Certain indicators such as pyuria, bacteriuria, nitrite, and leukocyte esterase can be seen in a simple urine analysis as criteria for suspicious urinary tract anomalies in neonates with UTIs.