Use of dipsticks and microscope in the diagnosis of hematuria in general practice

Introduction: Haematuria is a serious symptom and is often detected by dipstick analysis. We examined the use of dipsticks in general practice. Materials and methods: An anonymous questionnaire was sent to all GPs in a county in Denmark in April 2000. Results: The response rate was 92%. All GPs used dipsticks for the detection of haematuria. Answers to the questionnaire were compared with the guidelines of the dipstick manufacturers, and we found that 80% handled the dipstick incorrectly. A microscope was available in 65% of practices, and 44% performed urine microscopy in the case of dipstick haematuria. Discussion: The validity of dipsticks in the detection of haematuria is discussed, and we conclude that dipsticks must be handled strictly in accordance with the instructions of the manufacturer, so as to maintain a high rate of specificity and sensitivity. A positive dipstick should be followed up immediately with microscopy of the same urine sample.