Urine Sugar Determination by the Two-drop Clinitest Method

Abstract
Erroneous urine tests for sugar can result from many causes. The Clinitest method carried out in the usual recommended way (5 drops of urine) is accurate in the 0 to 2% sugar concentration range. Over 4%, there is a reversal of color which can be mistaken for 0.75 or 1% and which is referred to as "pass through." When 2 drops of urine are used instead of 5, the range of Clinitest change is extended from 0 to 5% and the "pass through" delayed until a concentration over 10% sugar is reached. In 191 urines from diabetic children, the confusing "pass through" was found to occur 70 times when the urine was tested by the "5/drop method." It did not occur in testing the same urines using the "2-drop method." Quantitative chemical analysis established the range of these 2 methods. It is recommended that the "2/drop method" should replace the "5/drop method.".