Purple urine bag syndrome – rare but substantial symptom of urinary infection

Czech version

Authors: Ondřej Hloch; Daša Gladišová; Miroslava Horáčková
Authors‘ workplace: Interní klinika 2. LF UK a FN Motol Praha, přednosta prof. MUDr. Milan Kvapil CSc., MBA
Published in: Vnitř Lék 2014; 60(5-6): 512-513
Category: Case Report

Overview

The urine colour change is an important clinical sign associated with patological process not only in the urinary tract. Apart from the commonest urine colour modifications due to metabolites of haemoglobin, myoglobin and bilirubin one may come accross with some less frequent changes. The violet urine coloration is very rare but represents the important clinical finding that is known as purple urine bag syndrome. The change of colour is made by indirubin and indigo. It is connected all the time with urine tract infection. In our presentation we describe a case where this sign was the only presentation of clinically important bacteriuria. Consequently antibiotic treatment could be given early before possible sepsis evolution.

Key words:
chronic catheterization – indigo – indirubin – purple urine bag syndrome – urinary tract infections

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