Master Health Checkup (MHC) involves a group of tests to detect non-communicable diseases (NCDs) early. However, some of the tests incorporated in the MHC have no known benefits for otherwise healthy adults. A study was conducted in 2019 to determine the usefulness of MHC in a hospital-based setting.

This cross-sectional study involved 337 subjects aged 18 and above attending the MHC Clinic during the study period. Participants underwent interview and biochemical investigations to determine the number of newly diagnosed, clinically relevant abnormalities among apparently normal adults using standard guidelines.

Overall, 244 participants were apparently normal [109 (44.7%) males and 135 (55.3%) females]. The study newly detected 12.3% with type 2 diabetes, 37.7% in pre-diabetic stage, 54.1% with anemia, 42.2% with dyslipidemia, 11.5% with hypothyroidism, 27% with liver disorders and 6.5% with renal disorders. The participants were unaware of the conditions. Apparently normal participants above 35 years of age had strong statistical association with diabetic status and dyslipidemia compared to those aged 18-35 years.

A significant number of NCDs were thus newly identified with the help of Master Health checkup (MHC).

Source: Sathiyamoorthi S, Anand DP, Muthunarayanan L. Is Master Health Checkup the Answer to Tackle the Rising Non-Communicable Disease Burden in India? - A Cross-Sectional Study. J Lifestyle Med. 2019 Jul;9(2):111-118.