Is screening urinalysis in children worthwhile?

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Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; ... and the United States Preventive Services Task Force11 do not recommend screening for asymptomatic ... Canadian Task Force on the Periodic Health Examination.
November 2003 (Vol. 52, No. 11)

Clinical Inquiries FROM THE FAMILY PRACTICE INQUIRIES NETWORK

Is screening urinalysis in children worthwhile? Mark B. Stephens, MD, MS

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; Laura Wilder, MLS

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Library, Dallas

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER Screening urinalysis in asymptomatic children has not been shown to be beneficial (strength of recommendation: B; based on extrapolation from 1 meta-analysis). It is unlikely to be cost-effective and should be discontinued. While random urinalyses can be used for case finding of glucosuria, hematuria, pyuria, bacteriuria, and proteinuria, the routine use of screening urinalysis in asymptomatic patients is not likely to be an effective strategy.

EVIDENCE SUMMARY 1

The prevalence of urinary tract infection in childhood has been estimated to be roughly 1%. For those children 2

with asymptomatic bacteriuria, fewer than 10% progress to symptomatic urinary tract infections. The 3,4

prevalence of other glomelonephropathies is