Effects of midstream collection and the menstrual cycle on urine particles and dipstick urinalysis among healthy females.

␮g/L). We also analyzed an aliquot of each of the three samples for 13 consecutive days (a total of 39 samples); 38 of the 39 (97.5%) were placed correctly, and the 39th was placed in the category immediately above the correct category. We diluted a urine sample containing 6.3 ␮mol/L mmol/L added to a sample containing 1.15 ␮mol/L (146 ␮g/L) iodine did not change the iodine concentration measured by the AutoAnalyzer (1.14 –1.15 ␮mol/L) or by Fast B [remaining in the 0.79 –1.18 ␮mol/L (100 –150 ␮g/L) category]; for this experiment, other KIO 3 calibra-tors were used to create the category of 0.79 –1.18 ␮mol/L (100 –150 ␮g/L). No change in iodine concentration was detected by either the AutoAnalyzer or Fast B after the addition of potassium thiocyanate at concentrations of 0.172, 0.344, or 0.688 mmol/L or of d-glucose up to 56 mmol/L (10.14 g/L). The placement of values within the ranges described here satisfies most epidemiologic purposes (1) and is more cost-effective than analyzing and reporting individual samples. One technician can easily measure 200 samples in a working day, and depending on salaries, the cost may be less than US $0.10/sample. One of us (D.G.) trained two technicians from a developing country in African to be proficient in the method after 3 days of instruction and practice. The investment in equipment is low, and except for pipettes, the only instrument is the heating block, which might be replaced by a boiling water bath if necessary. In conclusion, the Fast B method described here is rapid, simple, reliable, flexible, and inexpensive and provides an attractive means for assessing iodine nutrition in populations, especially in developing countries. We thank the Micronutrient Initiative (Ottawa, Canada) for financial support, and colleagues in the International Council for the Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD) for providing samples and helpful discussion. 4. Standardization of ultrasound and urinary iodine determination for assessing iodine status: report of a technical consultation. Ammonium persulfate: a safe alternative oxidizing reagent for measuring urinary iodine. Simple method for assessing urinary iodine, including preliminary description of a new rapid technique (" Fast B "). For urinalysis, midstream collection is recommended (1– 3). Health-associated reference limits for leukocyte and erythrocyte counts in female urine are important for detecting hematuria, pyuria, and urinary tract infection (3). To understand the effects of urinary collection and the menstrual cycle on urinalysis, we examined first-stream and midstream …