Tear stix tests for leucocyte-esterase, nitrite, haemoglobin, and albumin in normals and in a clinical series.

Tears are absorbed by a tuft of cotton and subjected to stix test for leucocyte-esterase (L), nitrite (N), haemoglobin (H), and albumin (A). Testing of 84 cases of infectious conjunctivitis and 282 normals revealed nosographic sensitivity to L in 89% and a specificity of 98%. By including N (only 26% positive with infectious conjunctivitis) and H the sensitivity rose to 98% while the specificity fell to 95%. A was generally raised in cases of infectious conjunctivitis. An additional number of 607 stix tests were carried out on a clinical series. The reaction was controlled before, during, and after cataract extraction. Conjunctivitis patients were observed for possible infection, the result of antibiotic treatment was studied, and contact lens wearers were controlled for infection. Predominantly stix-positive reaction was noticed in keratitis, allergic conjunctivitis, and ocular prosthesis socket. Predominantly negative reaction was seen in chronic simple conjunctivitis, sicca, scleritis, and iritis, the latter despite pronounced ciliary hyperaemia. Contralateral reflexly induced L and H were rendered probable. H-positive reaction predominated immediately after removal of suture. The tear stix test is easy to carry out, reasonably precise, and valuable in the clinical work.