Prevalence and Significance of an Abnormal Results of Electrolyte Test in a Periodic Health Examination

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of people undergo periodic health examination but due to its lack of a standardized method of examination and failure meet individual's specific, it has led to a huge wasting of resources. Thus, electrolyte tests performed during a routine health examination were reviewed to determine their significance and usefulness in mass screening. METHODS: We gathered 6,514 healthy cases who had received a periodic health examination at Asan Medical Center in August and December 2002. We reviewed the charts of the people who had abnormal results in electrolyte tests. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 46 years (range 14~82). Abnormal electrolyte results were relatively common. Four hundred and sixty one cases out of 26,056 (1.76%) had abnormal results. Abnormal results in sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus were detected in 1.76%, 0.56%, 1.44%, and 3.53%, respectively. Only 16 of the 461 (0.06%) patients with abnormal results were recommended to visit a physician and only one of these cases revealed to have a new disease. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that an electrolyte test is unnecessary as a screening test since only one case was revealed to be beneficial from it. Most of the cases involving abnormal electrolyte results did not need any treatment. Considering the cost benefit effect, a potential increase in false positive rate, and false negative rate, electrolyte tests should be reconsidered as a screening tests in periodic health examination.