FAMILY PAEDIATRICIANS AND SUSPECTED URINARY TRACT INFECTION

Key words: Pyelonephritis, Cystitis, Family Paediatrics

A survey proposed, over the phone, to 40 family paediatricians in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region gave the following results. In case of well-founded suspicion of cystitis, only urinalysis is taken into account and only 30% of paediatricians resort to urine culture. In case of suspected pyelonephritis (high temperature without organ symptoms), reactive strip urinalysis (“stix”) and/or microscopic and bacterioscopic examinations are made. In case of positive result (temperature + nitrites + leukocytes), diagnosis is considered certain or at least very probable. 36% of paediatricians treat this disease and follow up the patient (including radiological examinations and ultrasonography) without hospitalisation after proceeding to urine culture; the others refer children to hospitals. Urine is usually collected from a bag. 42% of paediatricians who refer children to hospitals state that they handle diagnosis and treatment together with their hospital colleagues. Many other paediatricians, however, state that patients are almost “kidnapped” by their hospital colleagues.