Urine dipstick testing to rule out rhabdomyolysis in patients with suspected heat injury

Abstract Background Heat injury is a common, potentially life-threatening medical condition. In austere or mass-casualty conditions an easy to use, sensitive screening test could be a valuable tool to care providers and evacuation planners. Objective The objective of the study was to determine if a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of emergency medicine 2009-09, Vol.27 (7), p.875-877
Main Authors: Young, Scott E., DO, Miller, Michael A., MD, Docherty, Martin, MD
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy
Biological and medical sciences
Blood
Clinical death. Palliative care. Organ gift and preservation
Confidence intervals
Creatine Kinase - blood
Dehydration
Emergency
Emergency medical care
Emergency medical services
Emergency Service, Hospital
Heat Stress Disorders - complications
Heat Stress Disorders - urine
Humans
Intensive care medicine
Kinases
Mass Screening - methods
Medical sciences
Military personnel
Prospective Studies
Rhabdomyolysis - diagnosis
Sensitivity and Specificity
Studies
Urinalysis - methods
Urine
Urine - chemistry
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Summary:Abstract Background Heat injury is a common, potentially life-threatening medical condition. In austere or mass-casualty conditions an easy to use, sensitive screening test could be a valuable tool to care providers and evacuation planners. Objective The objective of the study was to determine if a simple urine dipstick test for blood is sensitive for detection of rhabdomyolysis in the suspected heat injury patient. Material and Methods A convenience sample of patients presenting to a military community hospital Emergency Department during summer months with a presenting complaint consistent with suspected heat injury had urine dipstick testing performed for blood and compared with the results of formal urinalysis and serum creatine kinase. Results 60 patients were enrolled in the study, seven had creatine kinase levels greater than 1000U/L, 14 had levels greater than 500U/L, and 26 had levels greater than 250 U/L. Using 1000U/L, urine dipstick testing had a sensitivity of 14% and a specificity of 85%. Conclusions Urine dipstick testing for blood is not a useful screening test for rhabdomyolysis in patients suspected to have significant heat injury.
ISSN:0735-6757
1532-8171
DOI:10.1016/j.ajem.2008.06.020