Is the use of Chemstrips a good way to detect a UTI? What are the diagnostic criteria for UTIs? What do you think of Cystoplus, which is available over the counter in pharmacies?

Hello, Chemstrips allow the detection of certain elements in our urine such as the presence/absence of leukocytes (white blood cells), nitrites, proteins, blood, etc. Thus, they can be used to make a diagnosis when we know how to interpret them. However, this type of strip has the weakness of being a general test that is non-specific. Thus, they are not designed to specifically diagnose a urinary tract infection. Moreover, the strips do not detect the bacteria in the urine and whether they are harmful To diagnose this type of infection, a doctor may ask for a urine analysis to see what is in the urine, but he or she will also base the diagnosis on several criteria, including the person's general condition (e.g., fever) and the presence of symptoms (e.g., pain when urinating, frequent urination, etc.). Indeed, it is possible to have blood in the urine without having a urinary infection. The opposite is also possible. A person can have no blood, no nitrites and/or leukocytes and still have a UTI. So, in my opinion, it is a tool to orientate without diagnosing.Regarding Cystoplus, a search of the literature reveals that the company has never conducted a study on the effectiveness of its product. The product contains sodium citrate, an ingredient that was used in a small study (205 women) in 1984. This study concluded that when symptoms of a UTI were present but not clear, only women who did not have a UTI were relieved with this ingredient. Women who did have a UTI were not relieved. Because of the lack of reliable information, I do not recommend the product. So, you can judge afterwards.

We look forward to hearing from you,Sarah-Yan Chagnon, pharmacist