Introduction
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common pediatric conditions that often lead to ambulatory visits in emergency departments and urgent care centers. Diagnosing UTIs typically involves assessing symptoms and urinalysis results, including the presence of pyuria, which indicates white blood cells (WBCs) in the urine. Pyuria serves as an important marker for infection, but its interpretation, especially at low levels, can be challenging and influence clinical decision-making regarding antibiotic use.
Overprescribing antibiotics for suspected UTIs when the infection is not present contributes to antibiotic resistance and unnecessary side effects for pediatric patients. This study examines how urinalysis results, particularly low levels of pyuria, affect clinicians’ antibiotic prescribing habits in children aged 2 months to 17 years presenting at ambulatory settings.
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