Dipstick haematuria: its association with smoking and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Oncology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Dipstick hematuria (blood in urine) is a potential indicator of underlying urinary tract pathology.
• Smoking is a known risk factor for bladder cancer and may influence hematuria prevalence.
• Certain medications, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and anticoagulants, can cause urinary tract bleeding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of dipstick hematuria in men over 60.
• To explore the association between smoking status and dipstick hematuria.
• To determine if common medications (aspirin, NSAIDs, warfarin) are associated with dipstick hematuria in this population.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 1015 men aged 60 and older underwent a single dipstick urinalysis.
• Smoking history was collected for all participants.
• Medication intake, including aspirin, NSAIDs, and warfarin, was assessed.

Main Results:

• 12.3% of the men exhibited dipstick hematuria.
• Current smokers had a 1.6-fold increased incidence of dipstick hematuria compared to ex-smokers and non-smokers.
• No significant association was found between dipstick hematuria and the use of aspirin, other NSAIDs, or warfarin.

Conclusions:

• Smoking is a significant risk factor for dipstick hematuria in older men.
• Commonly used analgesics and anticoagulants do not appear to be associated with dipstick hematuria in this demographic.
• Further investigation into the causes of hematuria in this population, particularly in relation to smoking and bladder cancer, is warranted.