[Urinary sediment analysis]

Urinary Sediments as Predictors of the Histopathology of Lupus Nephritis

Lupus nephritis (LN) is a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Urinalysis has an invaluable role in the diagnosis of various renal and urological diseases. Examinations of the urinary sediment using phase contrast microscopy (PCM) may add more information to help earlier diagnoses of LN. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the possible role of the components of urinary sediment examined using PCM in discriminating the proliferative classes of LN (III and IV ± V) from the non-proliferative classes (I, II, and V), and to detect the correlation between the components of urinary sediment and indices of both activity and chronicity found by the renal biopsy. The study was conducted on 40 SLE patients for whom a renal biopsy was indicated. Clinical, demographic, and laboratory data and the results of the histopathological renal biopsy were collected. The morning before the renal biopsy; urine samples were collected from every patient and examined by PCM. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to detect the area under the curve to predict proliferative LN. The correlations of counts of leukocytes, erythrocytes, all dysmorphic erythrocytes, acanthocytes, and stomatocytes with the indices of activity and chronicity were significant (activity: P = 0.027, P = 0.015, P = 0.033, P = 0.040, and P <0.001*; chronicity: P = 0.035, P = 0.009, P = 0.027, P = 0.010, and P <0.001, respectively). For patients with SLE, urinary sediment examinations can suggest a renal biopsy for the histopathology of LN.

Effect of vitamin e on uroepithelial cells and changes of urinary sediments in oncology hospital nursing personnel

INTRODUCTION

Vitamin E is an important natural antioxidant, and its most common and biologically active form is α-tocopherol. The antiproliferative effects of alpha-tocopherol have been previously demonstrated. In this study we investigated the effects of vitamin E on urinary epithelial cells and urinary sediments of nursing from oncology hospital.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Sixty-two female nursing personnel from oncology hospital participated in the study. They received orally 200mg of vitamin E per day for two weeks. Also prior to vitamin E and after vitamin E administration, the uroepithelial cells counts and other components of urinary sediments were carried out.

RESULTS

There were significant differences in the epithelial cells count and treatment with vitamin E causing significantly more number of epithelial cells and urinary sediments to be excreted in the urine.

DISCUSSION

Vitamin E significantly plays an important role on the excretion of uroepithelial cells and urinary sediments.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion we propose that use of vitamin E at nontoxic levels would significantly enhance its antioxidative properties, especially among individuals subjected to prophylaxis of occupational hazards.