Repeat testing for haematuria and underlying urological pathology

OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence of urological pathology in a group of patients referred for the investigation of haematuria and whose symptoms had resolved at the time of investigation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The results from examination of 395 patients attending for investigation of haematuria were analysed. The group comprised 198 men and 197 women with a mean age of 51 years (range 19-73). RESULTS: In 220 patients (56%) no evidence of haematuria was detected despite its diagnosis in all patients at the time of referral. One-hundred and thirteen patients (51%) without detectable haematuria had urological pathology and 16 of these (14%) had an underlying malignancy in the urinary tract. CONCLUSION: Repeat urine analysis to determine whether haematuria persists has been considered as a way to define a high risk group which requires urgent investigation. Our results clearly indicate that the finding of haematuria, even in one urine specimen, warrants full urological assessment.