METHODS: Articles were found in the Medline database using the key words "paediatrics", "urine screening", "proteinuria", "haematuria" and "population". The Asian countries which had carried out population-based urinary screening of the paediatric population included Taiwan, Japan and Korea. One study was found on urinary screening in a select population in Malaysia. Preliminary results of the urinary screening of school children in Singapore are presented and compared with the results found in the above-mentioned countries.
RESULTS: Overall, the proportion of children found to have urinary abnormalities ranged from less than 0.1% of the population screened to almost 50% of a select cohort referred from the screening programmes for the evaluation of urinary abnormalities. In the pilot Singapore school screening programme, the prevalence of clinically significant proteinuria was 1.25 per 1000 children screened. Multivariate analysis showed that low body weight was associated with a 1.8-fold greater risk for proteinuria. The major cause of haematuria and proteinuria in those studies where renal biopsies were performed was glomerulonephritis. The Taiwanese experience also showed a reduction in the incidence of end-stage renal failure diagnosed in children after the onset of urine screening.
CONCLUSION: These studies showed that urinary screening programmes in school children allow the early detection of disease. The cost-benefit ratio for specific populations should be determined before the implementation of such programmes.
Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah between January and April 2020. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire which encompasses details about sociodemographic, health status, environment, and employment characteristics.
Results: A total of 290 waste collectors with a mean age of 40 (±9) years old were participated in the study. Most of them were from Kadazan-Dusun-Murut ethnic origin with educational background till secondary school. The average monthly income of the workers was USD 298.45 (±171.9) per month, and they had been in service for 11 (±9.04) years. Respiratory symptoms were seen in 21% of the workers. The identified significant risk factors were determined as underlying chronic diseases (OR=2.34; 95% CI=1.054, 5.219) and contact with pets (OR=1.87; 95% CI=1.004, 3.288).
Conclusion: Respiratory symptoms are prevalent amidst domestic waste collectors and related to their health and field activities.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was done among 300, 3-6 year old school children of Udupi district. A total of 40 children who were caries free, with no past systemic illness or craniofacial anomalies and 40 children with dental caries with no history of dental treatment for caries, with no past systemic illness or craniofacial anomalies were included in control and test groups respectively. Salivary CD14 was evaluated using ELISA test.
RESULTS: The mean salivary soluble CD14 concentration was significantly higher in caries free (1.34±0.35 µg/ml) children than caries experienced (0.54±0.36 µg/ml) (p<0.001). There was significant strong negative correlation between number of decayed teeth and soluble salivary CD14 (r = -0.868, P< 0.001) among all the children. Similarly, sub-group analysis of caries experienced children also showed significant strong negative correlation between number of decayed teeth and soluble salivary CD14 (r = -0.774, P<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Results obtained in our study suggested that salivary CD14 can be a indicator of dental caries in young children. Key words:Caries, CD14, Children, Saliva.