[Laboratory tests in primary care medicine: "essential laboratory tests" (1). Urinalysis]

Japan Society of Clinical Pathology has formed a committee dealing with "lab. tests in primary care medicine". As the first step, they made "Essential Lab. Tests" which were composed of simple qualitative bed-side tests such as urinalysis, Complete blood count (CBC: Hb, Ht, WBC, RBC), CRP, or ESR (Erythrocyte sedimental rate), A/G ratio and biochemical tests if necessary (Table 1). We have performed "Essential Lab. Tests" on 1,026 outpatients who visited General Medicine Clinic for the first time. They consisted of 456 male (age 13-81), and 526 female (age 10-85). This report is the result of urinalysis from "Essential Lab. Tests" of 1,026 patients. 1) The result showed that overall positivity of the urinalysis was 21.3% (when more than one item of the qualitative tests was positive). 2) There was distinctive difference in the positivity of the urinalysis between the sex; i.e. protein and glucose were about twice frequently positive in male, where as occult blood and WBC (Esterase reaction) were 2-3 times more positive in female. 3) Urine protein shows positive in the individual 10-20 yrs old and more than 50 yrs old in both sexes. 4) Glucose was positive in over 40 yrs in male, and occult blood, 40-50 yrs or older in male. 5) WBC shows positive in all age groups in female and 50 yrs or older in male. 6) Positive WBC patients did not necessarily reflect urinary infection in female but nitrites roughly corresponded with urinary WBC in male of 50 yrs or older, meaning probable urinary infection associated with prostatic hypertrophy. 7) Abnormality of urinary sediment corresponded to the positive occult blood and WBC Erastase. 8) Urinalysis is an useful method of screening in primary care medicine.