A prospective comparative pilot study comparing the urine collection pad with clean catch urine technique in non-toilet-trained children.

INTRODUCTION: There are many different methods for collecting urine from paediatric patients in emergency departments. Therefore, the aims of the study were to:

METHODS: The three month study was a prospective non-randomised comparative paediatric pilot study. A purposeful sample of children, requiring a urine microscopy for clinical management, presenting to one district emergency department was enrolled in the study to compare two non-invasive techniques of urine collection.

RESULTS: Thirty-three patients were enrolled and satisfactory samples were obtained from 22 patients. The heavy (mixed growth) contamination rate in the UCP group (n=2; 9.1%) versus the CCU group (n=1; 4.5%) was not statistically significant (p=0.50 by Fisher's exact test). The rate of agreement (n=20; 91%) in diagnosing or excluding urinary tract infection between the two groups was high. The median time to urine collection between the two groups (UCP method 30 min; CCU 107.5 min) was statistically significant (p<0.002, Mann-Whitney U test).

CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that UCPs are practicable in Australasian Emergency Departments and may lead to faster diagnosis, disposition and reduced hospital stay.