Does treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in older ambulatory women reduce subsequent symptoms of urinary tract infection?
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether treatment of symptomatic bacteriuria in older ambulatory women affects the subsequent development of symptoms of urinary tract infection. DESIGN: A controlled clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS: Older women not having urinary catheters. MEASUREMENTS: Urine cultures every 6 months (the same organism at 10(5) colony-forming units or more per mL on two midstream urine specimens defined asymptomatic bacteriuria) and questionnaire surveys for the new development of symptoms of urinary tract infection (dysuria, frequency, urgency, low back pain with fever) 1, 3, and 6 months after the initial survey. RESULTS: Of the 23 initially culture-positive participants receiving antibiotic treatment for symptomatic bacteriuria, nine were culture positive at 6 months, which contrasts with 18 of 27 who received no treatment or placebo, P = .05. However, symptoms of urinary tract infection were more common in the antibiotic-treated group. CONCLUSION: Antibiotic therapy effectivel
Related Questions
- Does asymptomatic bacteriuria predict mortality and does antimicrobial treatment reduce mortality in elderly ambulatory women?
- Does treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in older ambulatory women reduce subsequent symptoms of urinary tract infection?
- Can ultrasound replace ambulatory urodynamics when investigating women with irritative urinary symptoms?
