Study question

In women with suspected urinary tract infection (UTI), do clinical prediction rules based on clinical information or dipstick results improve diagnostic precision?

Study design

Design:

2 prospective cohort studies to derive and validate 2 clinical prediction rules.

Setting:

67 primary care practices in the south of England, UK.

Patients:

408 women in the derivation cohort and 434 women in the validation cohort who were 17–70 years of age and had suspected UTI. Exclusion criteria were pregnancy, severe mental problems, and high probability of an alternate diagnosis.

Description of prediction guides:

dipstick rule: a positive test was the presence of either (i) nitrite or (ii) the combination of blood and leucocytes. …