Cost effectiveness of renal disease screening.

Diseases of the kidney and their complications represent a major cause of disability and death. Search for evidence that the prognosis for a substantial portion of patients with chronic renal disease might be effectively influenced by early screening has been largely unrewarding. There is limited evidence that the progressive course of many chronic renal diseases can be arrested by presently available therapeutic methods. Thus, except for detection of bacteriuria in pregnant women, it would seem unreasonable to seek early identification. In addition, screening of asymptomatic individuals may create unnecessary, serious, economic and psychosocial problems for the many patients with benign or transient urinary abnormalities.