Abstract
Studying the properties of the urinary leucocytes the authors have revealed that Sternheimer-Malbin cells (the S.-M. cells) are not always found in the urine of the patients with pyelonephritis. The cells are formed in the urine out of ‘live’, active leucocytes only in certain states of the osmotic pressure of the urine and osmotic resistance of the leucocytes. Active leucocytes are found in the urine provided that there is an active inflammatory process occuring only in the renal parenchyma, and they can be easily detected by reduction of the osmotic pressure of the urine. The technique of detection of active leucocytes in the urine is presented. The suggested method of investigation is of great value in diagnosis of acute and especially of chronic pyelonephritis, as it enables one to distinguish pyuria in pyelonephritis and pyuria resulting from cystitis. The analysis of the urinary sediment for active leucocytes content was carried out in 365 patients with inflammatory-suppurative diseases of the kidneys and the urinary bladder. The analysis of the urinary sediment in 77 patients with acute pyelonephritis has revealed active leucocytes in 74 patients (96.1%), whereas out of 163 patients with chronic pyelonephritis they were found in 139 patients (84.5%). None of 95 patients with acute and chronic cystitis was found to have active leucocytes in the urine.