Leukocytes in Urine, no infection???

[RickHow]

69, male, ckd 3b, solo kidney.

My kidney doctor has me monthly (or more if I wish) do a urine dip stick test at home. I have been getting indication on this testing that my Leukocytes are at trace levels, and sometimes above. I went to my local walk in where they did a dip stick test and said it showed normal. That was about 2 weeks ago. Now I have done it again, and again it shows above normal leukocytes. This is usually an indication of bladder or kidney infection. But I show no other symptoms. Anyone have this experience?? Or know of it?? I have a previously scheduled appointment with my Urologist on Thursday and will ask. All else on the stick is perfectly normal. The local walk in suggested it could be bad dip sticks. But their expiration date is not until this September.

[MAS_Nurse]

Hi RickHow,

I would wait and see what your urologist says on Thursday. It may well be the batch of dipsticks, but it is best to speak to your specialist clinic about this anomaly.

Take care,

MAS Nurse and Moderator

[RickHow in reply to MAS_Nurse]

Thanks. I too think it may be the sticks. This happened to be me before and when I went to doctor his stick test showed nothing. And now someone else has written me they had the same experience. This website is so great about getting advice from yourself and others. Thank you.

[RickHow in reply to MAS_Nurse]

Oh I forgot to mention. Just on a whim I took a stick and dipped it into tap water. No urine, just water. The stick reported Leukocytes!! Becoming pretty obvious I have bad set of dip sticks! :).

[Bunkin in reply to RickHow]

My doctor said leukocytes should be taken off the dipstick because it doesn’t read correctly

[Bunkin]

I have had that experience! My doctor told me the leukocytes on the dipstick is not reliable. I kept getting that at home so he sent me for microscopic urinalysis which showed no leukocytes.

[RickHow in reply to Bunkin]

Thanks for information. Just on a whim I took a stick and dipped it into tap water. No urine, just water. The stick reported Leukocytes!! Becoming pretty obvious I have bad set of dip sticks! :).

[Amabile]

Hi Rick

This is really interesting re the leukocytes showing on the dip sticks. I had this recently and took a sample into the surgery for lab analyses - no bugs!

I read somewhere that unless the pad for nitrites colours pink - it's unlikely to be an infection. The only thing is the nitrites can take 4 hours to develop in the bladder. I've had this occasionally.

[RickHow in reply to Amabile]

Hi. As I posted I had an appointment with my urologist coming up. I took him photos of the dipsticks that indicated the "problem". He did a stick test in the office. All was normal. He smiled and said this happens all the time. He said if I do the stick testing at home do not even look at "leuks". It is so unreliable. It seems this is yet another known problem in the medical community that just exists and no one does anything about. He said unless it shows the darkest color purple that is indicated on the chart, don't even bother with going to doctor or walk in. He said the most important category for home testing with CKD is to look at protein. That in the journey of CKD at some point there will be where proteins start to show in Urine on a consistent basis. And while not much can be done about it (I already take Lisinopril) to then notify the doctor and let this be known.