Pyuria: Index of Infection in Patients with Spinal Cord Injuries*

Little is known about the significance of pyuria in patients with spinal cord injuries. The progress in hospital of 55 such patients was studied. They were divided into 2 groups according to the method of bladder drainage on admission. Group A comprised 43 patients with indwelling catheters. Group B comprised 12 patients who were able to void with tapping, with/without compression and on intermittent catheterisation. The results showed that group A had a mean pyuria level of 185 WBC/HPF on admission. The incidence of urinary tract infection was 4 per patient during hospitalisation and the mean duration of bladder training was 82 days. Group B had a mean pyuria level of 32 WBC/HPF on admission. The incidence of urinary tract infection was 1 per patient during hospitalisation and the mean duration of bladder training was 40 days. The difference between groups A and B for all 3 parameters was statistically significant. These results suggest that patients with spinal cord injuries and indwelling catheters have a higher pyuria level and an increased risk of significant morbidity secondary to urinary tract infection, especially at the pyuria level of 100 WBC/HPF. A low pyuria level of less than or equal to 30 WBC/HPF was associated with a nil or low incidence of bacteriuria and urinary tract infection in our patients.