Microscopy for symptomatic men: not all symptoms are born equal.

We reviewed microscopy results for symptomatic male patients in order to identify clinical correlates of urethritis as diagnosed by same-day microscopy. Higher polymorph counts were found in patients presenting with discharge, or discharge together with dysuria, but dysuria without discharge was strongly associated with negative urethral microscopy. Symptoms were strongly linked to microscopy outcome but partnerships were not linked to either symptoms or outcome.