Terminal loop cutaneous ureterostomy in renal transplantation: an under utilized urinary diversion technique

PURPOSE: We evaluated the effectiveness of terminal loop cutaneous ureterostomy as a means of urinary drainage in kidney transplant recipients during a 20-year period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five cadaveric and 2 living related patients underwent kidney transplantation with terminal loop cutaneous ureterostomy between 1984 and 2004. These patients had no usable bladder or they were not suitable candidates for intermittent catheterization. RESULTS: Followup was 20 months to 17 years. One patient underwent stomal revision 5 months after renal transplantation. Current serum creatinine 4 years later was 166 mumol/l. The remaining 6 patients had no evidence of ureteral obstruction and rarely had bacteriuria or urinary tract infections. Four patients had a functioning allograft with normal serum creatinine. One patient died with a normally functioning allograft and the remaining patient lost his graft due to chronic rejection. No patient in this series lost the graft due to a urological cause. Overall outcomes included excellent allograft function with minimal infection or stomal stenotic complications. CONCLUSIONS: Terminal loop cutaneous ureterostomy is a simple, safe and alternative means of urinary diversion in patients with renal transplant and a defunctionalized lower urinary tract.     

Utilization of extended donor criteria liver allograft: Is the elevated risk of failure independent of the model for end-stage liver disease score of the recipient?

BACKGROUND: The role of asymptomatic bacteriuria in kidney transplant recipients is unknown. There is no clear evidence of its effect on transplanted kidney. METHODS: We studied urine cytokines profile among kidney transplant recipients with bacteriuria found in screening examination. Urine cultures were collected in 269 patients with stable graft function and serum creatinine level <2 mg/dl, during their routine visits. Interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 levels were measured in urine samples from patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria, symptomatic urinary tract infection and patients without bacteriuria (control group). Changes in serum creatinine level in patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria and in the control group were observed during 12 months follow up. RESULTS: Urinary tract infection (UTI) was diagnosed in five patients and asymptomatic bacteriuria in 22 patients. Urine IL-6 level was significantly higher in symptomatic UTI group (median 15.71 pg/mg) but there were no differences between group of patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria (3.92 pg/mg) and control group (2.54 pg/mg). Urine IL-8 level was higher in symptomatic UTI group (median 146.8 pg/mg) and was also significantly higher in asymptomatic bacteriuria group (33.49 pg/mg) in comparison to control group (2.97 pg/mg; P=0.0002). During 1-year follow up, incidence of UTI was higher in the asymptomatic bacteriuria group than in the control group but graft function was not different in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated urine IL-8 level in kidney transplant patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria may reflect impaired immune response to bacterial infection and occult inflammatory process in urinary tract.     

Significance of asymptomatic bacteriuria in spinal cord injury patients on condom catheter

A total of 56 male spinal cord injury patients on condom catheter drainage was studied prospectively within 6 months of the injuries for 5 years. Low bladder pressures (filling maximum 35 cm. water and voiding maximum 70 cm. water) were ascertained with video-urodynamics. External sphincterotomy was performed when necessary for detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia. Yearly upper tract imaging, serum creatinine levels and urine cultures were obtained. All patients had colonized urine (asymptomatic) during the entire study period. No patient sustained deterioration of the urinary tract on imaging or by serum creatinine determinations during the 5-year interval. We conclude that asymptomatic bacteriuria is of no consequence to the integrity of the upper urinary tract when low pressures are operant.     

Successful Renal Transplantation in Children With Posterior Urethral Valves

PurposeThe treatment of children with posterior urethral valve (PUV) and end-stage renal disease can be challenging. Some series have had poor outcomes after renal transplantation with an increased risk of graft dysfunction and urinary tract infections. We present our experience with a pediatric population and compare it to all the other pediatric renal transplants done at our institution.Materials and MethodsWe identified 10 patients with PUV who underwent a total of 13 renal transplants between 1990 and 2000. The comparison group included 120 transplants done in 95 patients during the same period. Cumulative allograft survival and function were recorded.ResultsOverall patient survival in the PUV group was 100%. Mean age at transplant in the PUV group was 10.0 years and mean followup was 3.9 years. Six patients underwent high proximal urinary tract diversion, while the remainder had primary transurethral valve ablation. Three patients had bladder augmentation before transplantation. Cumulative allograft survival in the PUV group at 1 and 5 years was 85% and 64%, respectively. Of the 10 patients 9 currently have functioning living related donor transplants. One patient lost 3 cadaveric donor transplants to chronic rejection. No patients lost grafts due to infection or bladder dysfunction. Mean serum creatinine of the functioning grafts was 1.1 mg/dl.ConclusionsRenal transplantation can be performed safely and effectively in patients with PUV, including those who have undergone previous proximal urinary tract diversion. Preoperative bladder management and continued monitoring of bladder and kidney function postoperatively are paramount in the preservation of allograft function.     

Renal transplantation in children with lower urinary tract dysfunction of different origin: a single-center experience

INTRODUCTION: Renal transplantation in patients with lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) of various origins is a challenging issue in the field of pediatric transplantation. We report our single-center experience to evaluate patient and graft survivals as well as the risks of the surgery and immunosuppressive therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Among 70 pediatric transplant patients, 11 displayed severe LUTD. Videourodynamic tests were performed on all patients preoperatively as well as postoperatively if required. The cause of urologic disorders were neurogenic bladder (n = 5) and urethral valves (n = 6). Clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) was needed in six patients to empty the bladder. To achieve a low-pressure reservoir with adequate capacity pretransplantation augmentation ileocystoplasty was created in four patients and gastrocystoplasty in one patient. Three of the patients received kidneys from cadaveric and eight from living donors. All patients were treated with calcineurin-based immunosuppressive therapy. RESULTS: The mean age at transplantation was 15 +/- 4.7 years. The median follow-up after transplantation was 36 months (6 to 62 months). At their last visit the median creatinine level was 0.95 mg/dL (0.8 to 2.4 mg/dL). Three patients had recurrent symptomatic urinary tract infections who had augmented bladder on CIC. One patient with ileocystoplasty who developed urinary leak and ureteral stricture in the early postoperative period was treated by an antegrade J stent. CONCLUSION: Severe LUTD carried high risks for the grafted kidney. However, our data suggested that renal transplantation is a safe and effective treatment modality, if the underlying urologic diseases properly managed during the transplantation course. Since surgery and follow-up is more complicated, patient compliance and experience of transplantation team have significant impacts on outcomes.     

URODYNAMIC FACTORS INFLUENCE THE DURATION OF ESCHERICHIA COLI BACTERIURIA IN DELIBERATELY COLONIZED CASES

Purpose

We evaluated the influence of urodynamic factors on the establishment of bacteriuria, after deliberate intravesical inoculation with Escherichia coli.

Materials and Methods

Nine women and 7 men with recurrent symptomatic urinary tract infections underwent intravesical injection of E. coli 83972. This strain had documented ability to persist in the urinary tract and it lacks expressed virulence factors associated with urinary tract infection.

Results

Successful long-term colonization (5 months to 3 years) was achieved in 6 of 12 patients with neurogenic bladder disorder, including normal or high bladder capacity, normal or low detrusor pressure and residual urine. Short-term bacteriuria (13 days) occurred in 1 but long-term bacteriuria was not established in the 4 patients with normal lower urinary tract function. Occasionally urine samples from the colonized patients contained other bacterial strains, which cleared spontaneously except for a Klebsiella strain that became established in 2 and subsequently eliminated E. coli 83972.

Conclusions

E. coli 83972 bacteriuria could only be established in a subset of patients with defective bladder voiding, suggesting that urodynamic defects permit a nonvirulent strain to establish in the urinary tract, but that additional host factors determine if bacteriuria will persist.     

Indwelling urinary catheter infections in small community hospital. Role of urinary drainage bag

Ninety cases of closed drainage urinary catheterization were studied by daily bacteriologic monitoring with Microstix. In 23 per cent of the patients bacteriuria developed, and 92.6 per cent of all catheter infections occurred within three days. These infections occurred primarily in postsurgical patients, and were probably related to initial contamination during catheter insertion. Only 1 patient had a positive drainage bag urine culture prior to the development of bladder bacteriuria. At our institution poor catheter technique was much more important as a risk factor of nosocomial urinary tract infection than an antiseptic drainage bag system.     

Pregnancy after lower urinary tract reconstruction for congenital abnormalities

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of pregnancy on renal function, and the effect of congenital urinary tract abnormality and reconstruction on pregnancy and delivery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The case notes were reviewed of 20 women (median age 32.5 years) who had had 29 live babies. Data collected included patient demographics, congenital urological abnormality, urological reconstructive procedure(s) and any subsequent urological complications. Pregnancy details, including urological and obstetric complications, presentation and mode of delivery, were obtained via a postal questionnaire from the relevant obstetrician. RESULTS: Seven patients had exstrophy-epispadias, seven spinal dysraphism, two sacral agenesis, and one each cerebral palsy, epispadias, imperforate anus and small bladder with vesico-ureteric reflux and congenital incontinence. They had had a mean (range) of 5.7 (1-12) urological reconstructive procedures each. Patients with exstrophy-epispadias had significantly more operations (mean 7.8) than those with spinal dysraphism (mean 4.14) or other diagnoses (mean 2.6) (P < 0.01). At the last follow-up 13 patients had an enterocystoplasty, six a neobladder and one an ileal conduit. Pregnancy-related urological complications were urinary tract infection in 15, upper tract obstruction requiring nephrostomy and stent in three, Mitrofanoff difficulties in two and pyelonephritis in one. There was no significant deterioration in glomerular filtration rate or serum creatinine after pregnancy. Only 10 of the births were normal or assisted vaginal deliveries. Seven patients had emergency and 12 had elective Caesarean sections for obstetric indications, including four breech births in the seven patients with vesical exstrophy. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy has no long-term effect on renal function and does not compromise reconstruction. Although there is a substantial complication rate and an increased need for Caesarean section, pregnancy in women with lower urinary tract reconstruction for congenital urological abnormalities is ultimately safe for both mother and baby. Interdisciplinary co-operation is desirable for a successful outcome.     

Renal Transplantation into Augmented Bladders

Background: Urinary bladder augmentation is gaining popularity for the treatment of dysfunctional bladders in renal transplant patients. Although reported cases of adult and pediatric transplants into the augmented bladder have been favorable, the potential risk of urinary tract infection and graft failure under immunosuppression is still disputable. We report our experiences with 4 patients who underwent renal transplantation into an augmented bladder.
Methods: Between 1971 and 1996, 1275 renal transplants were performed at our institution. Of these transplants, 4 patients underwent renal transplantation into an augmented urinary bladder. Augmentation cystoplasty was performed before transplantation in 3 patients and 7 years after transplantation in the other patient. The bladder was augmented with an ileal segment in 3 patients and a ureter in the fourth patient. Craft function was assessed by the serum creatinine level. Fluorocystometrograms were performed in all patients at fixed intervals.
Results: Posttransplant renal function was satisfactory overall and no patient exhibited proteinuria. All patients except 1 acquired a large capacity low pressure bladder and remained continent with clean intermittent catheterization. One patient who underwent ureterocystoplasty is still incontinent because of his relatively small bladder capacity. Posttransplant pyelonephritis was documented in 3 patients during the follow-up period, but no other complications were observed.
Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that renal transplantation into extensively reconstructed bladders can be safely performed with good success. Although urinary tract infection is a major consideration, we recommend pretransplant reconstruction not only to preserve graft function, but also to achieve urinary continence.     

Morbidity of urodynamic testing in patients with spinal cord injury: is antibiotic prophylaxis necessary?

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, non-randomized study. OBJECTIVES: To assess the incidence of urinary tract infection after urodynamics in patients with spinal cord injury. SETTING: Outpatient clinic of a university hospital in Germany. METHODS: Urinary tract infection and clinical symptoms in 109 consecutive outpatients with spinal cord injury following urodynamic evaluation were studied. RESULTS: Data from 72 patients were evaluable. Of these, seven patients (9.7%) developed a significant urinary tract infection. Five of these were symptomatic. Pre-existing asymptomatic bacteriuria was not associated with a higher risk for post-interventional infection. The technique of the bladder management did not correlate with urinary tract infection rates. CONCLUSION: In this study, symptomatic urinary tract infections after cystometry were not infrequent. Therefore, it seems that antibiotic prophylaxis cannot be omitted in patients with spinal cord injury undergoing urodynamic investigation.     

Long-term urinary continence and renal function in neonates with posterior urethral valves

Posterior urethral valves are known to be associated with considerable morbidity and mortality especially in the neonate. Recently the role of bladder dysfunction in the pathophysiology of renal function impairment and urinary incontinence after valve ablation has been questioned. From 1976 to 1986 we treated 50 male newborns with posterior urethral valves at our institution. Initial treatment in all cases consisted of bladder drainage by a urethral catheter, and correction of existing fluid and electrolyte abnormalities. Subsequent treatment was dictated by the degree of upper tract abnormalities and it included valve ablation alone in 24 patients, vesicostomy and later valve ablation in 8, valve ablation and later upper tract reconstruction in 14 and cutaneous ureterostomy in 4. Followup ranges from 2 to 12 years (mean 6.8). Long-term renal functional impairment was related to the serum creatinine at age 1 year. If the serum creatinine was below 1.0 mg.% all patients (31) had normal values at long-term followup and if it was greater than 1.0 mg.% (19) then only 7 patients had normal values at followup. Urinary continence was assessed in 42 patients and it was normal in 34 (81%). The etiology of incontinence in the remaining 8 patients was bladder dysfunction in 6 and sphincter incompetence in 2. Those patients with urinary incontinence also had a high incidence of upper tract abnormalities (6 of 8, 75%) compared to continent valve patients (10 of 34, 29%).     

Urinary tract infection in oliguric patients with chronic renal failure

We studied 182 patients with chronic renal failure by urinalysis and urine cultures. Of the patients 27 per cent had significant bacteriuria (more than 10(5) per ml.), 38 per cent had significant pyuria (more than 10 white blood cells per high power field), 19 per cent had urinary tract infection and 7 per cent had symptomatic urinary tract infection. All 12 patients with symptomatic urinary tract infection had significant bacteriuria and 11 had significant pyuria, while 1 had 5 to 10 white blood cells per high power field. Incidences of urinary tract infection differed depending on the primary renal disease (12, 13, 41 and 67 per cent for chronic glomerulonephritis, diabetic nephropathy, polycystic kidney and chronic pyelonephritis, respectively). Among the patients with chronic glomerulonephritis no significant differences were seen in frequencies of bacteriuria and urinary tract infection between male and female patients or between those who did and did not undergo hemodialysis. Also, no significant correlation was seen between bacteriuria and daily urine output but pyuria was significantly more frequent in oliguric patients or those on hemodialysis.     

Norfloxacin prophylaxis for endoscopic urological surgery.

A series of 140 patients, undergoing various types of urological endoscopic procedures, was divided into 2 equal, parallel, randomised groups. The first group of 70 patients, undergoing lower urinary tract surgery, was randomised, half to receive norfloxacin prophylaxis and half no antibiotic cover; the other 70 patients, undergoing percutaneous renal surgery, were randomised, half to receive norfloxacin and half cefuroxime. It was found that 26% of patients not receiving antibiotic prophylaxis and 11% on cefuroxime prophylaxis developed post-operative bacteriuria, with a high incidence of urinary tract infection (UTI). Only 1 patient of 70 on norfloxacin prophylaxis developed post-operative bacteriuria, which quickly responded to prolongation of norfloxacin therapy. Prior to surgery, 10% of all patients were found to have previously undetected bacteriuria. This group was at high risk of developing post-operative infection. Norfloxacin effectively prevented post-operative bacteriuria and urinary tract infection in these patients. This study suggests that norfloxacin is a safe and effective prophylactic antibiotic in all forms of urological endoscopic procedures.     

Urological situation five years after spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate bladder emptying methods and urinary tract problems five years after spinal cord injury (SCI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Neurological level, method of bladder emptying and urological investigations were retrieved from the records for all 165 patients admitted to our Centre for Spinal Cord Injured with a traumatic SCI sustained from 1984 to 1988. RESULTS: A total of 77 patients with completed 5-year control were included in the final analyses. We found that 64% had suprasacral bladder dysfunction, while 23% had infrasacral bladder dysfunction. Plasma-creatinine was normal, both at the initial examination and the 5-year control. From the time in the SCI centre to the 5-year control a trend towards less intermittent catheterization and more use of abdominal pressure was observed. During the follow-up period nine patients (12%) experienced urinary calculi. Six bladder- stones were removed endoscopically. Five had kidney stones; three were left untreated, one was removed by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy and one by open surgery. Four patients (5%) had renograms with functional distribution outside the limits 40-60%. Three patients had bladder neck incision performed, one had a sacral anterior root stimulator implanted and one had a continent Kock reservoir. No sphincterotomies were performed. Fifty-one had received medicine to facilitate bladder emptying. Eighty-one percent had been treated for at least one urinary tract infection (UTI), 22% had 2-3 UTI/year, and 12% 4 or more UTI/year. Twelve percent had been on prophylactic low-dose antibiotics. CONCLUSION: The final outcome regarding urological complications is satisfactory even with our conservative handling of the SCI individuals.     

Bladder management methods and urological complications in spinal cord injury patients

Background:

The optimal bladder management method should preserve renal function and minimize the risk of urinary tract complications. The present study is conducted to assess the overall incidence of urinary tract infections (UTI) and other urological complications in spinal cord injury patients (SCI), and to compare the incidence of these complications with different bladder management subgroups.

Materials and Methods:

545 patients (386 males and 159 females) of traumatic spinal cord injury with the mean age of 35.4±16.2 years (range, 18 – 73 years) were included in the study. The data regarding demography, bladder type, method of bladder management, and urological complications, were recorded. Bladder management methods included indwelling catheterization in 224 cases, clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) in 180 cases, condom drainage in 45 cases, suprapubic cystostomy in 24 cases, reflex voiding in 32 cases, and normal voiding in 40 cases. We assessed the incidence of UTI and bacteriuria as the number of episodes per hundred person-days, and other urological complications as percentages.

Results:

The overall incidence of bacteriuria was 1.70 / hundred person-days. The overall incidenceof urinary tract infection was 0.64 / hundered person-days. The incidence of UTI per 100 person-days was 2.68 for indwelling catheterization, 0.34 for CIC, 0.34 for condom drainage, 0.56 for suprapubic cystostomy, 0.34 for reflex voiding, and 0.32 for normal voiding. Other urological complications recorded were urethral stricture (n=66, 12.1%), urethritis (n=78, 14.3%), periurethral abscess (n=45, 8.2%), epididymorchitis (n=44, 8.07%), urethral false passage (n=22, 4.03%), urethral fistula (n=11, 2%), lithiasis (n=23, 4.2%), hematuria (n=44, 8.07%), stress incontinence (n=60, 11%), and pyelonephritis (n=6, 1.1%). Clean intermittent catheterization was associated with lower incidence of urological complications, in comparison to indwelling catheterization.

Conclusions:

Urinary tract complications largely appeared to be confined to the lower urinary tract. The incidence of UTI and other urological complications is lower in patients on CIC in comparison to the patients on indwelling catheterizations. Encouraging CIC; early recognition and treatment of the UTI and urological complications; and a regular follow up is necessary to reduce the medical morbidity.     

The urological evaluation and management of patients with myelodysplasia

The urological evaluation and results of management of 183 myelodysplastic patients are presented. Our management protocol stresses upper tract and infection status surveillance during the early childhood years, and a clean intermittent catheterisation programme with pharmacological manipulation of detrusor and sphincter function as the optimal later management. Continence failures are few and are manageable by sphincter prosthetic surgery or bladder augmentation. Urodynamic results are valuable in children with difficult incontinence or poor upper tracts. The intermittent catheterisation programme reduces the incidence of symptomatic urinary infections in these patients, but the incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria is high. The adverse results of supravesical diversion in myelodysplastic children rarely justify its use.     

Renal transplantation in children with severe lower urinary tract dysfunction

PURPOSE: Renal transplantation in children with end stage renal disease due to congenital urological malformations has traditionally been associated with a poor outcome compared to transplantation in those with a normal urinary tract. In addition, the optimal urological treatment for such children remains unclear. To address these issues, we retrospectively reviewed our experience with renal transplantation in this population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1986 and 1998, 12 boys and 6 girls a mean age of 8.4 years with a severe dysfunctional lower urinary tract underwent a total of 15 living related and 6 cadaveric renal transplantations. Urological anomalies included posterior urethral valves in 8 cases, urogenital sinus anomalies in 4, the prune-belly syndrome in 2, and complete bladder duplication, ureterocele, lipomeningocele and the VATER syndrome in 1 each. In 11 children (61%) bladder augmentation or continent urinary diversion was performed, 2 (11%) have an intestinal conduit and 5 (28%) have a transplant into the native bladder. RESULTS: In this group patient and overall allograft survival was 100 and 81%, respectively. These values were the same in all children who underwent renal transplantation at our center during this era. In the 17 children with a functioning transplant mean serum creatinine was 1.4 mg./dl. Technical complications occurred in 4 patients (22%), including transplant ureteral obstruction in 2 as well as intestinal conduit stomal stenosis and Mitrofanoff stomal incontinence. CONCLUSIONS: Renal transplantation may be successfully performed in children with end stage renal disease due to severe lower urinary tract dysfunction. Bladder reconstruction, which may be required in the majority of these cases, appears to be safe when performed before or after the transplant. A multidisciplinary team approach to surgery is advantageous.     

Escherichia coli colonizing the neurogenic bladder are similar to widespread clones causing disease in patients with normal bladder function

Study design:Clonal typing of neurogenic clones.Objective:To determine whether neurogenic clones carried over weeks in the urine of asymptomatic children with neurogenic bladder were similar to known uropathogenic clones associated with disease.Setting:Michigan State University; VA Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA.Methods:Escherichia coli isolates from the urine of 15 children previously followed were typed by multilocus sequence typing and compared to 2 human pyelonephritis genome strains, 29 pediatric or adult symptomatic urinary tract infection strains, 15 pediatric asymptomatic bacteriuria strains, 6 animal urinary tract infection strains and a neonatal meningitis-septicemia prototype K1 strain. Phylotypes and virulence genotypes were determined using PCR.Results:Twenty-nine E. coli isolates were classified into 15 clones. Six of 15 clones were the same sequence type or a close relative to a clone that caused disease in a human or animal. These clones were considered uropathogens. The remaining nine clones were not closely related to a clone that caused disease and were considered commensal clones. Uropathogens were predominantly group B2, exhibited more virulence genes and were carried for more weeks in the neurogenic bladder compared to commensal clones. Nine of 15 children carried one or more uropathogenic clones; 4 children carried one or more commensal clones and 2 children carried both uropathogenic and commensal clones.Conclusion:Children with neurogenic bladder most commonly carried commensal clones. Uropathogenic clones were associated with prolonged carriage, however, carriage was not associated with symptomatic disease or deterioration of the upper urinary tract.Spinal Cord (2008) 46, 633-638; doi:10.1038/sc.2008.60; published online 17 June 2008.     

Symptomatic urinary problems in female genital tract anomalies

Most of urological abnormalities in urogenital anomalies are asymptomatic and need no special treatment; however, a few patients have critical urinary complaints and surgical corrections are required for them. Unfortunately, these coexisting urinary problems are often neglected and failed to be treated. So, it is necessary to delineate the diagnosis and treatment of similar anomalies. Eight typical patients who had urogenital anomalies with urinary discomfort in our institution were excerpted and reported. In this series, the urinary symptoms ranged from cyclical hematuria and urinary incontinence to infection symptom. The involved urological anatomies were generally categorized into three types: abnormal communication of urogenital tracts, malformation of bladder or ectopic ureter, and anomalies of urethral orifice. Surgical corrections were helpful for most cases. For patients with genitalia anomalies, the coexisting urological defects should be highlighted by our gynecologists, especially when they are symptomatic and require surgical correction. Shu Wang and Jing He Lang contributed equally to this article.     

Comparative predictive values of urinary cytology, urinary bladder cancer antigen, CYFRA 21-1 and NMP22 for evaluating symptomatic patients at risk for bladder cancer

PURPOSE: We study the potential diagnostic use of urinary bladder cancer antigen, CYFRA 21-1 and NMP22*; for evaluating symptomatic patients who present with microscopic hematuria and are at risk for bladder cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Urinary tumor markers were determined in 187 samples from 112 patients symptomatic of bladder cancer (group 1), and 75 with benign and other urological conditions (group 2). Immunoassays were used to measure the 3 selected biomarkers. Sensitivity and specificity were established by previously defined cut points. Biomarker results were reported as corrected and uncorrected for urinary creatinine. Urinalysis was performed in all samples. RESULTS: Positive and negative predictive values were 85.5%, 80.5% and 81.1%, and 80.8%, 79.2% and 76.5% for urinary bladder cancer antigen, CYFRA 21-1 and NMP22, with the cutoffs 9.7 microg./l., 5.4 microg./l and 10.0 units per ml., respectively. These predictives values were 85.2% and 72.5%, respectively, for urinary cytology. The combination of biomarkers decreased the positive predictive values to 72.3% to 78.6% and increased negative predictive values to 84.2% to 86.1%. Urinary tract infection, inflammation and malignancy associated with other genitourinary organs were the primary cause for false-positive test results in the 3 assays evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: With a single biomarker, around 80% of the positive results would have correctly identified symptomatic patients for cystoscopy. Of the negative results 75% would have correctly reduced the number of cystoscopies. Sensitivity and negative predictive values could be improved with the combination of biomarkers but with a loss of specificity and positive predictive values. Urinary tract inflammation and other genitourinary malignancies might contribute to the reduction in specificity of these tests.