Clinical urine analysis: a role in modern paediatric practice

Urine testing has not only helped physicians to diagnose various diseases since ancient times, but has also stimulated the emergence of such areas of medicine as urology, nephrology, endocrinology. The method itself has evolved over the centuries from purely visual (uroscopy) to modern, physico-chemical, biochemical and microscopic examination of urine. Despite the emergence in recent years of new accurate and more advanced methods for the study of biological fluids, clinical analysis of urine remains one of the most frequently performed studies in the practice of a doctor, including a paediatrician. This relatively simple and quick analysis is a screening method for the diagnosis of diseases of the urinary system, as well as many other organs and systems. The article describes the current aspects of this laboratory study, which is still one of the most important in the arsenal of a pediatrician.