Nose and nasal cavities. Image source: Wikipedia, public domain.
Left-sided maxillar sinusitis (absence of the air transparency of left maxillar sinus). Image source: Wikipedia, public domain.
The authors studied whether analysis of 4 four easily measured substances in nasal secretions could predict bacterial sinusitis:
3. leukocyte esterase
Those 4 substances are the same ones tested by the urine dipstick used to diagnose UTI.
A scoring system was developed to compute the results of the 4 assays in a single clinical score.
All patients with scores of 0 or 1 were CT or x-ray negative for bacterial sinusitis. All patients with scores higher than 4 were imaging study positive.
The authors concluded that combining 4 simple assays on nasal secretion can rule in or rule out bacterial sinusitis in 90% of patients.
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A typical medical urinalysis (UA) usually includes:
- pH - normally 4.8 to 7.5.
- protein - normally negative (absent)
- leukocyte esterase
UA shows gross hematuria and bacteria. Image source: ClinicalCases.org.
Rapid diagnosis of bacterial sinusitis in patients using a simple test of nasal secretions. Huang, Shih-Wen; Small, Parker A. Allergy and Asthma Proceedings, Volume 29, Number 6, November/December 2008 , pp. 640-643(4)
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