Comparison of dipstick and quantitative tests for proteinuria and hematuria in middle-aged, male Japanese employees: A single-center study

Abstract

Background and Aims: The early and reliable detection of chronic kidney disease is important. In the present study, we aimed to compare the diagnostic results for proteinuria and hematuria between the dipstick test used in primary occupational health examinations and the quantitative tests used in more thorough examinations in clinics. Methods: We conducted a single-center observational study of male staff (N = 573) at Kagoshima University who underwent a health examination in 2017. Both dipsticks and biochemical methods were used to assess proteinuria and hematuria. Results: For the dipstick test, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value were 55.6%, 92.4% and 10.4% for proteinuria, and 64.3%, 98.3% and 66.7% for hematuria, respectively. Four participants for whom false-negative results were obtained using dipsticks for proteinuria, and two of these had 3+ urinary glucose. Conclusion: Qualitative tests for proteinuria and hematuria had low sensitivities and positive predictive values. Therefore, for the early and reliable detection of chronic kidney disease, the use of quantitative urine tests should be considered during occupational health examinations.