Diagnostic Significance of the Urine-Stick Test in Middle and High School Children in Seoul

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was performed to assess the diagnostic significance of the urine-stick test in detecting Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and to assess the clinical characteristics of adolescent diabetes. MEHTODS A total of 926,208 middle and high school children participated. The urine-stick test was performed and those who showed glycosuria and, further studies such as evaluations of plasma glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol and C-peptide level done. We compared the clinical characteristics between the diabetes group and non-diabetes group. RESULTS: Among 926,208 students, 1,020 (0.11%) showed glycosuria. Among the 1,020 glycosuria positive subjects, 339 (33.2%) had further laboratory tests. Two hundred and sixty-eight cases (79.1%) were normal, 52 cases (15.3%) were newly diagnosed as DM, 9 cases (2.7%) were already diagnosed DM, 10 cases (2.9%) had an impaired glucose tolerance. The 52 newly diagnosed DM cases, whose postprandial 2 hour glucose level was more than 200m/dL, showed different fasting glucose levels. Thirty cases (57.7%) had a level of more than 140mg/dL, 11 cases (21.1%) were between 110 and 140mg/dL and 11 cases (21.1%) were at a level of less than 110mg/dL. Polydipsia, polyuria and polyphagia were frequent symptoms exibited by the DM group while weight loss and fatigue showed no significant difference between the DM and non-diabetes groups. Six cases were type 1 DM and 44 cases were type 2 DM. Being female, having a family history of DM and a higher BMI and higher diastolic blood pressure were significant risk factors for DM. CONCLUSION: The positive rate of glycosuria by the urine-stick test was 0.11%. Among glycosuria positive subjects 15.3% were newly diagnosed as DM. For the high risk group, an annual urine-stick test and a postprandial blood glucose test should be performed and a systematic referral system is necessary.