title: Screening for urine abnormalities among preschool children in western Saudi Arabia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the frequency of urinary problems among preschool children.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, 1000 preschool asymptomatic children attending the outpatient clinics of the Children's Hospital, Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between August 2013 and December 2013 were subjected to dipstick urine analysis. Microscopic examination was performed for the abnormal dipstick samples, and children with hematuria were investigated for kidney function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dipstick urine analysis revealed abnormal findings in 25.1% of the screened children. The most common dipstick abnormalities were positive nitrite test in 18.1%, hematuria in 16.9%, and positive leukocyte esterase test in 14.3% of the cases. The most common abnormality in microscopic urine examination was crystals in 13% of the cases. Pyuria were evident in 5% of cases and hematuria in 2.5%. The most common bacteria in positive urine culture samples was Escherichia coli in 62.6%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In view of these important findings, dipstick screening should be implemented in preschool children.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Nephrology Department, College of Medicine, Taif University, Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. E-mail. azzaali55555@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Abdulla A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Alharthi
authors.forename: Azza A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Taha
authors.forename: Awatif E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Edrees
authors.forename: Ali N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Elnawawy
authors.forename: Azza H A
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Abdelrahman
mesh_terms: D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D058345:Asymptomatic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001437:Bacteriuria / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000652:urine; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / Q000652:urine; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006417:Hematuria / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D011776:Pyuria / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000652:urine; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D016482:Urinalysis; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: C021443:leukocyte esterase; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases