Suprapubic aspiration under ultrasound guidance in children with fever of undiagnosed cause

• Published in: BMJ 1994-03, Vol.308 (6930), p.690-692
• Main Authors: Buys, H, Pead, L, Hallett, R, Maskell, R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Babies; Bacterial load; Bacteriuria; Bacteriuria - etiology; Child, Preschool; Children; Children & youth; Colony Count, Microbial; Female; Fever; Fever of Unknown Origin - etiology; Fever of Unknown Origin - urine; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infants; Infections; Investigations; Laboratories; Male; Microscopy; Pyuria; Pyuria - etiology; Retrospective Studies; Suction - methods; Ultrasonography; Ultrasonography, Interventional; Urinary tract diseases; Urinary tract infections; Urine; Urogenital system; Vesico ureteral reflux
• ISSN: 0959-8138; 1468-5833; 1756-1833
• DOI: 10.1136/bmj.308.6930.690

Abstract Objectives: To assess the ease of use of suprapubic aspiration of urine under ultrasound guidance in babies with fever of uncertain cause and to assess the importance of bacterial counts and pyuria in relation to abnormalities of the urinary tract and the importance of pyuria in the absence of bacteriuria. Design: Analysis of urine samples obtained by suprapubic aspiration in babies and children from July 1991 to June 1992. The clinical records of the children with bacteriuria and sterile pyuria were examined retrospectively. Setting: Neonatal and paediatric wards of a district general hospital. Subjects - 508 babies and children who had fever of uncertain cause or were seriously ill. Results: No difficulties arose in the collection of 545 specimens. Bacteria were isolated from the specimens of 44 children, 24 of whom had abnormalities of the urinary tract. The bacterial count was