Clue Cells on Vaginal Wet Preparation Are Not Associated with Urinary Tract Infections or Positive Urine Cultures
Introduction: Clue cells result from aberrant vaginal microflora and are associated with an increased vaginal pH, which can allow colonization of uropathogens in the vaginal introitus, increasing the risk for urinary tract infections (UTI). We sought to determine whether clue cells on vaginal wet pr...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
eScholarship Publishing, University of California
2022-07-01
|
| Series: | Western Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| Online Access: | https://escholarship.org/uc/item/27j5g82k |
| _version_ | 1828255618567241728 |
|---|---|
| author | Johnathan Michael Sheele Carolyn Mead-Harvey Nicole Hodgson |
| author_facet | Johnathan Michael Sheele Carolyn Mead-Harvey Nicole Hodgson |
| author_sort | Johnathan Michael Sheele |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Clue cells result from aberrant vaginal microflora and are associated with an increased vaginal pH, which can allow colonization of uropathogens in the vaginal introitus, increasing the risk for urinary tract infections (UTI). We sought to determine whether clue cells on vaginal wet preparation in the emergency department (ED) are associated with emergency physician diagnoses of UTIs and positive urine cultures. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis examining a dataset of women (≥18 years of age) who received both a genital wet preparation and urine testing in the ED. Both chi-square and multivariable regression analysis were performed. Results: We analyzed 14,952 encounters. On both univariable and multivariable analyses, emergency physicians diagnosed significantly fewer clue cell-positive women with a UTI (10.9% diagnosed with UTI vs 13.1% without UTI) (P <.001). Women with clue cells on vaginal wet preparation were not more likely to have a positive urine culture or have a urine culture growing Escherichia coli. Pregnant women with clue cells on vaginal wet preparation were not more likely to have a UTI or have a positive urine culture. Conclusion: Emergency physicians diagnosed significantly fewer women with UTIs when they found clue cells on vaginal wet preparation. Clue cells on vaginal wet preparation were not associated with an increased likelihood of a positive urine culture or having E. coli growing in the urine. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T02:17:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cc905fafd9ce432eb36c2f09b70c4493 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1936-9018 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T02:17:24Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | eScholarship Publishing, University of California |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Western Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-cc905fafd9ce432eb36c2f09b70c44932022-12-22T03:07:07ZengeScholarship Publishing, University of CaliforniaWestern Journal of Emergency Medicine1936-90182022-07-0123410.5811/westjem.2022.2.55000wjem-23-468Clue Cells on Vaginal Wet Preparation Are Not Associated with Urinary Tract Infections or Positive Urine CulturesJohnathan Michael Sheele0Carolyn Mead-Harvey1Nicole Hodgson2Mayo Clinic, Department of Emergency Medicine, Jacksonville, FloridaMayo Clinic, Division of Clinical Trials and Biostatistics, Phoenix, ArizonaMayo Clinic, Department of Emergency Medicine, Phoenix, ArizonaIntroduction: Clue cells result from aberrant vaginal microflora and are associated with an increased vaginal pH, which can allow colonization of uropathogens in the vaginal introitus, increasing the risk for urinary tract infections (UTI). We sought to determine whether clue cells on vaginal wet preparation in the emergency department (ED) are associated with emergency physician diagnoses of UTIs and positive urine cultures. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis examining a dataset of women (≥18 years of age) who received both a genital wet preparation and urine testing in the ED. Both chi-square and multivariable regression analysis were performed. Results: We analyzed 14,952 encounters. On both univariable and multivariable analyses, emergency physicians diagnosed significantly fewer clue cell-positive women with a UTI (10.9% diagnosed with UTI vs 13.1% without UTI) (P <.001). Women with clue cells on vaginal wet preparation were not more likely to have a positive urine culture or have a urine culture growing Escherichia coli. Pregnant women with clue cells on vaginal wet preparation were not more likely to have a UTI or have a positive urine culture. Conclusion: Emergency physicians diagnosed significantly fewer women with UTIs when they found clue cells on vaginal wet preparation. Clue cells on vaginal wet preparation were not associated with an increased likelihood of a positive urine culture or having E. coli growing in the urine.https://escholarship.org/uc/item/27j5g82k |
| spellingShingle | Johnathan Michael Sheele Carolyn Mead-Harvey Nicole Hodgson Clue Cells on Vaginal Wet Preparation Are Not Associated with Urinary Tract Infections or Positive Urine Cultures Western Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| title | Clue Cells on Vaginal Wet Preparation Are Not Associated with Urinary Tract Infections or Positive Urine Cultures |
| title_full | Clue Cells on Vaginal Wet Preparation Are Not Associated with Urinary Tract Infections or Positive Urine Cultures |
| title_fullStr | Clue Cells on Vaginal Wet Preparation Are Not Associated with Urinary Tract Infections or Positive Urine Cultures |
| title_full_unstemmed | Clue Cells on Vaginal Wet Preparation Are Not Associated with Urinary Tract Infections or Positive Urine Cultures |
| title_short | Clue Cells on Vaginal Wet Preparation Are Not Associated with Urinary Tract Infections or Positive Urine Cultures |
| title_sort | clue cells on vaginal wet preparation are not associated with urinary tract infections or positive urine cultures |
| url | https://escholarship.org/uc/item/27j5g82k |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT johnathanmichaelsheele cluecellsonvaginalwetpreparationarenotassociatedwithurinarytractinfectionsorpositiveurinecultures AT carolynmeadharvey cluecellsonvaginalwetpreparationarenotassociatedwithurinarytractinfectionsorpositiveurinecultures AT nicolehodgson cluecellsonvaginalwetpreparationarenotassociatedwithurinarytractinfectionsorpositiveurinecultures |