Effectiveness of laboratory tests and imaging in renal impairment of patients with renal colic

Effectiveness of Laboratory Tests and Imaging in Renal Impairment of Patients With Renal Colic Aim: Renal colic is one of the most common reasons of admission in the Emergency Department (ED). We aimed to determine the utility of ultrasonografic evaluation and laboratory findings in the diagnosis, treatment and emergency medicine practise of the patient with renal colic who were admitted with flunk pain to ED. We also aimed to investigate the relationship of the urinary truct infection and renal colic. Material and Methods: In this prospective study, 50 patients with flunk pain who were admitted to ED of Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine were involved. Complete blood counts, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, total calcium, ionized calcium, parathyroid hormone, procalcitonin, C-reactive protein of the patents were assayed. The urinalysis and urine culture of the study patients were performed. All patients had plain urinary tract x-rays and renal ultrasonographies. All the results were recorded and analyzed. Results: 24 males and 27 females were included in the study, of which men age was 33.9 ± 11.8 (min18-max62). There was statistically significant association between hydronephrosis and creatinine levels (p=0,026) and nephrolithiasis (p=0.028). Ultrasonographic evaluation was found to be more accurate than plain x-rays to detect renal stones. Conclusion: Renal ultrasound performed in ED was found to be superior to plain urinary tract x-ray in diagnosing renal stones. Serum creatinine levels of the patients with hydronephrosis were elevated and this was statistically significant in patients with renal colic. In emergency medicine practise CRP and PCT were found to be useless in diagnosing patients with urinary tract infection.