Evaluation of a dipstick test for glucose in urine

As an example of qualitative tests, a dipstick analysis for glucose in urine has been tested for the influence of modifying factors on the test result. Two different types of dipsticks were examined, "Clinistix" and "S-Gluko-test." Used according to manufacturer's instructions, the latter is more sensitive and selective. By multivariance analysis the following variables were examined: urine samples, inter- and intra-analyst, exposure to light, and dipstick batch. The first three contributed significantly to the total variation in results, inter-specimen variation being the most important. With knowledge of the frequency of testing urines with a given glucose concentration and the probability of the result at that concentration, an expression of the probability of the glucose content of a urine sample can be obtained. Even with the tests of the type examined having a sensitivity and specificity exceeding 95%, 14 of 100 patients suspected of having diabetes mellitus on the basis of a dipstick examination will be found to have a urinary glucose concentration of less than 2 mmol/liter. These figures were found when the prevalence of urines with a glucose concentration exceeding 2 mmol/liter was 17.5%.