SENSITIVITY AND SPECIFICITY OF THE SYMPTOMS OF URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS IN PATIENTS WITH SPINAL CORD INJURY ON INTERMITTENT CATHETERIZATION
Diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) is based on data from urine analysis such as presence of leukocyturia and bacteriuria, and pathognomonic symptoms, including pain in the projection of the urinary system and urination disorders (dysuria, urgency...). Despite of the simplicity of the diagnosis of UTI in the general population, the latter may be significantly difficult in patients after spinal cord injury, which is caused by sensation and voiding disorders, and a high frequency of asymptomatic bacteriuria (especially in patients requiring continuous or intermittent drainage of the bladder). Given the above difficulties National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research offered the following symptoms indicating the presence of UTI in spinal cord injury patients: fever, discomfort or pain over the kidney or bladder or during micturition, incontinence, increased spasticity, the development of autonomous dysreflexia, clouding of urine, accompanied by an unpleasant odor, malaise and weakness. This article describes the results of our evaluation of the sensitivity and specificity of the symptoms of UTI in patients with spinal cord injury on intermittent catheterization.