Project description:Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are common in primary care resulting in substantial costs. Since antimicrobial resistance against antibiotics for UTIs is rising, accurate diagnosis is needed in settings with low rates of multidrug-resistant bacteria.To compare the cost-effectiveness of different strategies to diagnose UTIs in women who contacted their general practitioner (GP) with painful and/or frequent micturition between 2006 and 2008 in and around Amsterdam, The Netherlands.This is a model-based cost-effectiveness analysis using data from 196 women who underwent four tests: history, urine stick, sediment, dipslide, and the gold standard, a urine culture. Decision trees were constructed reflecting 15 diagnostic strategies comprising different parallel and sequential combinations of the four tests. Using the decision trees, for each strategy the costs and the proportion of women with a correct positive or negative diagnosis were estimated. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was used to estimate uncertainty surrounding costs and effects. Uncertainty was presented using cost-effectiveness planes and acceptability curves.Most sequential testing strategies resulted in higher proportions of correctly classified women and lower costs than parallel testing strategies. For different willingness to pay thresholds, the most cost-effective strategies were: 1) performing a dipstick after a positive history for thresholds below €10 per additional correctly classified patient, 2) performing both a history and dipstick for thresholds between €10 and €17 per additional correctly classified patient, 3) performing a dipstick if history was negative, followed by a sediment if the dipstick was negative for thresholds between €17 and €118 per additional correctly classified patient, 4) performing a dipstick if history was negative, followed by a dipslide if the dipstick was negative for thresholds above €118 per additional correctly classified patient.Depending on decision makers' willingness to pay for one additional correctly classified woman, the strategy consisting of performing a history and dipstick simultaneously (ceiling ratios between €10 and €17) or performing a sediment if history and subsequent dipstick are negative (ceiling ratios between €17 and €118) are the most cost-effective strategies to diagnose a UTI.
Project description:IntroductionDemands on residents' time during training make it difficult for them to engage consistently with a primary care curriculum. In response to this, the emergency medicine and critical care fields have successfully utilized podcasting to the point where a recent study showed US emergency medicine residents ranked podcasts as the best use of their time for extracurricular education.MethodsWe produced a 30-minute podcast on urinary tract infections from a primary care perspective, based on descriptors from Entrustable Professional Activity 4, "Manage acute common illnesses in the ambulatory setting." A moderator, a primary care pediatrician, and a pediatric nephrologist used a loose script of salient points, allowing for a natural evolution of the dialogue. The podcast was distributed to residents via email, along with a 7-question survey.ResultsThe survey was completed by 50 out of 84 residents. Ninety-two percent listened to all or part of the podcast, 98% found it educational, 93% enjoyed listening, and 74% felt more confident identifying and managing patients with possible urinary tract infections after listening. Ninety-six percent felt podcasts were a good alternative method for delivering this curriculum. One comment read, "This was great! It makes the information more accessible so that I can listen while working out or driving or just laying on the couch."DiscussionBased on this success, we are producing additional podcasts and will strive to keep them under 20 minutes, provide key summary points at the end, and improve ease of access by utilizing an RSS (rich site summary) feed.
Project description:One in three women will experience a clinically significant urinary tract infection (UTI) by age twenty-four and almost half will have at least one in their lifetime. Recurrent UTIs (rUTIs) are defined as having greater than two infections in a 6-month period, or three infections over twelve months, with complete resolution for at least two weeks. These may be due to relapse from incomplete treatment (persistence) or re-infection (new source). It may be difficult to distinguish between the two, where the same organism is cultured. There are several risk factors for rUTIs including an impairment of the body's immune system and virulence factors. Reversible or treatable causes are sought and excluded in the patient's initial review. Patient's with rUTI are often complex and difficult to manage. The long-term management options in women are multimodal and should focus on prevention of relapse and recurrence. Behavioural factors include adequate hydration, care with sexual hygiene, reducing one's body mass index (BMI) and post-void residual (PVR) volume. There are several non-antimicrobial options for rUTIs which have become a multi-billion-dollar business. Unfortunately, there are numerous studies which fail to show any major benefit or having conflicting data. Vaccines are currently being explored as a prevention strategy, delivered through injection, intra-nasal sprays, or vaginal suppositories, which are made from combinations of heat killed uro-pathogenic strains. There are no widely available vaccines at present due to limited clinical success. It is well established that appropriate antibiotic therapy results in higher rates of symptom relief and bacterial eradication in women with uncomplicated cystitis. There are several options for antimicrobial use which have been shown to be highly effective in reducing the risk of rUTI in women. The pain and discomfort of the UTI must be balanced with the cost and risk of developing resistance when using antimicrobials. Continuous prophylaxis, pre- and post-coital voiding, and self-starting are the three commonly accepted options for prophylaxis. The choice between these will depend upon patient preference, cultures and previous pattern of infection. Intra-vesical instillation of hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulphate have been used for glycosaminoglycan (GAG) layer replenishment for many indications, including interstitial cystitis, overactive bladder syndrome, radiation cystitis and prevention of rUTI. At present, intra-vesical therapies are reserved for only those with the most unresponsive rUTIs. The principles of treating rUTI are to break the cycle and to treat any reversible causes. With our ever-expanding research knowledge, there are now many useful products that may be used for the successful treatment of rUTI. A management plan including a combination of a non-antimicrobial and selective antimicrobial regime for a minimum of six months should be considered. It is a prudent clinician that clearly defines this management plan, with reassurance of a finite period of therapy.
Project description:Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common and potentially serious bacterial infection of childhood. History and examination findings can be non-specific, so a urine sample is required to diagnose UTI. Sample collection in young precontinent children can be challenging. Bedside dipstick tests are useful for screening, but urine culture is required for diagnostic confirmation. Antibiotic therapy must be guided by local guidelines due to increasing antibiotic resistance. Duration of therapy and indications for imaging remain controversial topics and guidelines lack consensus. This article presents an overview of paediatric UTI diagnosis and management, with highlights of recent advances and evidence updates.
Project description:Background:Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are major drivers of antibiotic prescribing in primary care. Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for UTIs likely drives antibiotic resistance. We aimed to describe current investigation and antibiotic treatment to examine opportunities for improved antimicrobial stewardship. Methods:We identified a cohort of all patients with lower UTI diagnosis between 2011 and 2015 in the 390 primary care practices contributing data to ResearchOne in England. We examined investigation, antibiotic treatment and antibiotic re-prescription within 28?days according to guideline-defined patient groups. We assessed risk factors for re-prescription using mixed-effect logistic regression. Findings:In total, 494,675 UTIs were diagnosed in 300,354 patients. Median age was 54?years, and 83.3% were women. Same-day antibiotic was prescribed for 85.7% of UTIs; 56.8% were treated with trimethoprim, and urine sampling was undertaken in 25.0%. The antibiotic re-prescription rate was low (17,430, 4.1%) and increased slightly over time in men (from 5.2% in 2011 to 6.2% in 2015). Overall, 21.1% of pre-prescription were for the same antibiotic. The percentage of adults with recurrent UTIs ranged from 1.0% in 18-64?year-old men to 2.6% in women ? 65?years. The risk of antibiotic re-prescription increased with age, calendar year, recent antibiotic prescribing and treatment with antibiotic other than trimethoprim or nitrofurantoin. Interpretation:Most patients diagnosed with lower UTI in primary care receive same-day empirical antibiotics with little diversity in choice of agent. The antibiotic re-prescription rate is low. Microbiological investigation and re-prescription of the same antibiotic given for the initial episode happened in one quarter of UTIs. Funding:UK National Health Service Improvement.
Project description:Purpose of reviewUrinary tract infection (UTI) in children is a major source of office visits and healthcare expenditure. Research into the diagnosis, treatment, and prophylaxis of UTI has evolved over the past 10 years. The development of new imaging techniques and UTI screening tools has improved our diagnostic accuracy tremendously. Identifying who to treat is imperative as the increase in multi-drug-resistant organisms has emphasized the need for antibiotic stewardship. This review covers the contemporary management of children with UTI and the data-driven paradigm shifts that have been implemented into clinical practice.Recent findingsWith recent data illustrating the self-limiting nature and low prevalence of clinically significant vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), investigational imaging in children has become increasingly less frequent. Contrast-enhanced voiding urosonogram (CEVUS) has emerged as a useful diagnostic tool, as it can provide accurate detection of VUR without the need of radiation. The urinary and intestinal microbiomes are being investigated as potential therapeutic drug targets, as children with recurrent UTIs have significant alterations in bacterial proliferation. Use of adjunctive corticosteroids in children with pyelonephritis may decrease the risk of renal scarring and progressive renal insufficiency. The development of a vaccine against an antigen present on Escherichia coli may change the way we treat children with recurrent UTIs.SummaryThe American Academy of Pediatrics defines a UTI as the presence of at least 50,000 CFU/mL of a single uropathogen obtained by bladder catheterization with a dipstick urinalysis positive for leukocyte esterase (LE) or WBC present on urine microscopy. UTIs are more common in females, with uncircumcised males having the highest risk in the first year of life. E. coli is the most frequently cultured organism in UTI diagnoses and multi-drug-resistant strains are becoming more common. Diagnosis should be confirmed with an uncontaminated urine specimen, obtained from mid-stream collection, bladder catheterization, or suprapubic aspiration. Patients meeting criteria for imaging should undergo a renal and bladder ultrasound, with further investigational imaging based on results of ultrasound or clinical history. Continuous antibiotic prophylaxis is controversial; however, evidence shows patients with high-grade VUR and bladder and bowel dysfunction retain the most benefit. Open surgical repair of reflux is the gold standard for patients who fail medical management with endoscopic approaches available for select populations.
Project description:Iatrogenic injury to the urinary tract, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra, is a potential complication of surgical procedures performed in or around the retroperitoneal abdominal space or pelvis. While both diagnostic and interventional radiologists often play a central and decisive role in the identification and initial management of a variety of iatrogenic injuries, discussions of these injuries are often directed toward specialists such as urologists, obstetricians, gynecologists, and general surgeons whose procedures are most often implicated in iatrogenic urinary tract injuries. Interventional radiologic procedures can also be a source of an iatrogenic urinary tract injury. This review describes the clinical presentation, risk factors, imaging findings, and management of iatrogenic renal vascular and urinary tract injuries, as well as the radiologist's role in the diagnosis, treatment, and cause of these injuries.
Project description:PurposeThe etiology of postmenopausal recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) is not completely known, but the urinary microbiome is thought to be implicated. We compared the urinary microbiome in menopausal women with recurrent UTIs to age-matched controls, both in the absence of acute infection.Materials and methodsThis is a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from 64 women enrolled in a longitudinal cohort study. All women were using topically applied vaginal estrogen. Women >55 years of age from the following groups were enrolled: 1) recurrent UTIs on daily antibiotic prophylaxis, 2) recurrent UTIs not on antibiotic prophylaxis and 3) age-matched controls without recurrent UTIs. Catheterized urine samples were collected at least 4 weeks after last treatment for UTI and at least 6 weeks after initiation of vaginal estrogen. Samples were evaluated using expanded quantitative urine culture (EQUC) and 16S rRNA gene sequencing.ResultsWith EQUC, there were no significant differences in median numbers of microbial species isolated among groups (p=0.96), even when considering Lactobacilli (p=0.72). However, there were trends toward different Lactobacillus species between groups. With 16S rRNA sequencing, the majority of urine samples contained Lactobacillaceae, with nonsignificant trends in relative abundance among groups. Using a Bayesian analysis, we identified significant differences in anaerobic taxa associated with phenotypic groups. Most of these differences centered on Bacteroidales and the family Prevotellaceae, although differences were also noted in Actinobacteria and certain genera of Clostridiales.ConclusionsAssociations between anaerobes within the urinary microbiome and postmenopausal recurrent UTI warrants further investigation.
Project description:There are many causes of recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTI) which are amenable to surgical management. This usually follows a lengthy trial of conservative management. Aetiological classification of rUTI requiring surgical management may be divided into congenital or acquired. Predisposing factors are classified into two groups; those providing a source for organisms, or by maintaining favourable conditions for the proliferation of organisms. Sources of infections include calculi, fistulae or abscesses. Conditions which predispose to bacterial proliferation include malignancies, foreign bodies, high post void residuals, and neuropathic bladders. Removal of identified sources, treating the obstruction, and improving urinary drainage, are all goals of surgical management. Surgical options for rUTI management can range from minimally invasive procedures such as endoscopic or percutaneous, through to more invasive requiring laparoscopic or an open approach. Surgery remains a very important and viable solution.
Project description:To determine the accuracy of the novel biomarker urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL) to diagnose urinary tract infections (UTIs) in febrile infants and young children. Prospective cross-sectional study of febrile infants <3 months ( ≥ 38.0°C) and children 3 to 24 months (≥ 39.0°C) evaluated for UTIs. uNGAL levels, urinalysis, Gram-stain and culture were obtained. UTI was defined by colony counts. Of 260 patients, 35 (13.5%) had UTIs. Median uNGAL levels were 215.1 ng/mL (interquartile range: 100.3-917.8) and 4.4 ng/mL (interquartile range: 1.6-11.8) in the groups diagnosed with and without UTIs, respectively. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for uNGAL was 0.978 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.948-1.000). At a threshold uNGAL level of 39.1 ng/mL, sensitivity was 97.1% (95% CI: 83.4-99.9) and specificity was 95.6% (95% CI: 91.7-97.7). uNGAL had higher sensitivity than the combination of leukocyte esterase (in trace or greater amounts) or nitrite (+) (97.1%, 95% CI: 83.4-99.9 vs 74.3%, 95% CI: 56.4-86.9), with similar specificity (95.6%, 95% CI: 91.7-97.7 vs 97.3%, 95% CI: 94.0-98.9). uNGAL had higher sensitivity than Gram-stain (97.1%, 95% CI: 83.4-99.9 vs 74.3%, 95%: CI: 56.4-86.9), with similar specificity (95.6%, 95% CI: 91.7-97.7 vs 100.0%, 95% CI: 97.9-100.0). uNGAL has substantial accuracy to identify those with and without UTIs in infants and young children. Further studies will need to confirm our findings and determine if uNGAL is a more cost-effective test than standard screening tests.