Proteinuria screening for children

Background. In Japan, urine screenings are performed annually at school for proteinuria and hematuria, but the effectiveness of this practice has not been clarified. Methods. Urine screening at school was performed, and we investigated the prevalence of urine abnormalities and incidence and the causes of their diseases. Therefore, we studied effectiveness of the school-screening program. Results. The prevalence of urinary abnormalities was 0.52% among elementary school children and 0.75% among junior high school children. The incidence was 0.24% among elementary school children. The school-screening program is effective in early detection of glomerulonephritis, so the number of new end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients starting treatment has been changing. Discussion. The school-screening program is effective for early detection of glomerulonephritis. In case of generations who underwent the school-screening program, the age that one develops ESRD has been rising year by year, and the number of new ESRD patients starting treatment before 20 years old is lower in Japan than in America. Conclusion. The school-screening program in Japan represents a highly effective mass screening technique.