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Evaluation of the adenosine triphosphate test in the diagnosis of urinary tract infection

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Abstract

Determination by bioluminescence of the bacterial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level in urine was evaluated as a method for detection of bacteriuria in 1126 women with symptoms of UTI and 530 attending for follow-up. Conventional urine culture was used as reference method. The criterion for bacteriuria was growth of ≥ 105 cfu/ml, giving a prevalence of 0.60. ATP levels of <10 nmol/l and >50 nmol/l indicated abacteriuria and bacteriuria, respectively, whereas intermediate concentrations required culture if the nitrite test was negative. With this diagnostic strategy the sensitivity and specificity was 0.96 and 0.90 at the first visit and 0.90 and 0.98 at follow-up. With some methodological improvement the ATP test could be useful in medium-sized and small laboratories.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

    E. Österberg & H. Åberg

  2. National Bacteriological Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden

    H. O. Hallander

  3. Department of Clinical Chemistry, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

    A. Kallner

  4. Department of Medicine and Clinical Research Centre, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge Hospital, Sweden

    A. Lundin

Authors
  1. E. Österberg
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  2. H. O. Hallander
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  3. A. Kallner
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  4. A. Lundin
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  5. H. Åberg
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Österberg, E., Hallander, H.O., Kallner, A. et al. Evaluation of the adenosine triphosphate test in the diagnosis of urinary tract infection. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 10, 70–73 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01964410

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01964410

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