Risk factors of vesicoureteral reflux and urinary tract infections in children with imperforate anus: A population-based case-control study in Taiwan

Imperforate anus (IA) is associated with several urological anomalies, including vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), a major contributor to high morbidity in patients with anorectal malformations. This retrospective study was performed to elucidate the risk factors of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and UTI in children with IA.We used the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) to estimate the frequency of congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) in children with IA. We also investigated the frequencies of VUR, UTI, and CAKUT in children with IA along with the risk factors of VUR.We enrolled 613 children between 2000 and 2008 (367 males and 246 females; 489 low-position IA and 124 high-position IA). High-position IA was associated with a significantly increased risk of VUR compared with low-position IA (OR: 2.68, 95% CI: 1.61, 4.45). In addition, children with IA along with CAKUT, hydronephrosis, or UTI had a higher risk of VUR (OR: 8.57, 95% CI: 3.75, 19.6; OR: 7.65, 95% CI: 4.48, 13.1; and OR: 31.8, 95% CI: 11.5, 88.3, respectively). UTI, as well as chromosomal anomalies, were more frequent in children with high-position IA.Patients with a high-position IA had a greater risk of VUR, particularly those with CAKUT, hydronephrosis, or UTI. Such patients must periodically undergo urinalysis to screen for UTI and early voiding cystourethrogram to rule out VUR and prevent consequent renal damage. Chromosomal analysis is suggested to rule out Down syndrome.     

Pediatric Urinary Tract Infection

Urinary tract infection (UTI) in childhood affects many children but it can be difficult to diagnose, especially in infancy where it is believed that most renal damage occurs. UTI can point the way to underlying congenital abnormalities of the urinary tract which are uncommon, as are the long-term sequelae of renal scarring, hypertension and chronic renal failure. It is now appreciated that many infants have reflux associated damage before birth with associated renal dysplasia. Investigations in children with a UTI remain controversial with ultrasonography being sufficient in experienced hands and only selected patients undergoing cystography and radionuclide imaging. Gross vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) is rare and most mild to moderate VUR resolves spontaneously. Although there is no randomised controlled trial to date low dose prophylactic antibiotics are used in the majority of children in whom VUR is detected with surgery being reserved for those with problematical infections or anatomical abnormalities. Familial reflux is increasingly recognised.     

Managing of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Following Stroke

Purpose of Review

This comprehensive up-to-date review will synthesise relevant available literature on the topic of post-stroke lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD). Topics include epidemiology of LUTD, LUTD as a prognostic indicator for stroke recovery, urinary incontinence and retention, correlations between brain lesion localisation and LUTD, causes of LUTD, medical complications due to LUTD, diagnostics and contemporary management of LUTD in stroke patients.

Recent Findings

LUTD frequently occurs after a stroke and is associated with poor overall functional outcome, increased institutionalisation and mortality rates. The predominant symptoms are urinary frequency, urgency and urge incontinence. In the urodynamic findings, detrusor overactivity is predominant and detrusor underactivity is somewhat less prevalent. LUTD is correlated with the size and site of the brain lesion, and the presence of cognitive, motor, sensory, vision impairment and aphasia. There are multiple aetiologies for LUTD and the treatment usually includes continence aids, behavioural, pharmacological and surgical measures. A variety of behavioural therapeutic interventions is described in the literature, including bladder training and pelvic floor muscle training, but the evidence of the effectiveness is still sparse.

Summary

LUTD after a stroke remains under-recognised, poorly addressed and there is still a lack of clinical practice guidelines available in the literature. At the moment, a structured clinical assessment and the use of a multimodal treatment approach that includes a systematic voiding programme with the participation of all team members is recommended. In the future, additional evidence-based research should be performed to evaluate the effectiveness of various therapeutic approaches.

     

Pathophysiological and Therapeutic Considerations for Non‐Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction in Children

Non‐neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) in children is very common in clinical practice and is important as an underlying cause of lower urinary tract symptoms, urinary tract infection and vesicoureteral reflux in affected children. LUTD in children is caused by multiple factors and might be related with a delay in functional maturation of the lower urinary tract. Behavioral and psychological problems often co‐exist in children with LUTD and bowel dysfunction. Recent findings in functional brain imaging suggest that bladder bowel dysfunction and behavioral and psychiatric disorders in children might share common pathophysiological factors in the brain. Children with suspected LUTD should be evaluated properly by detailed history taking, validated questionnaire on voiding and defecation, voiding and bowel diary, urinalysis, screening ultrasound, uroflowmetry and post‐void residual measurement. Invasive urodynamic study such as videourodynamics should be reserved for children in whom standard treatment fails. Initial treatment of non‐neurogenic LUTD is standard urotherapy comprising education of the child and family, regular optimal voiding regimens and bowel programs. Pelvic floor muscle awareness, biofeedback and neuromodulation can be used as a supplementary purpose. Antimuscarinics and α‐blockers are safely used for overactive bladder and dysfunctional voiding, respectively. For refractory cases, botulinum toxin A injection is a viable treatment option. Prudent use of urotherapy and pharmacotherapy for non‐neurogenic LUTD should have a better chance to cure various problems and improve self‐esteem and quality of life in affected children.     

High incidence of lower urinary tract dysfunction in women with recurrent urinary tract infections

The aim of this study was to evaluate lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) in women with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs). One hundred consecutive female patients with recurrent UTIs who underwent videourodynamic study (VUDS) were included. Another 25 women free from recurrent UTIs served as controls. All the underlying diseases, urine analysis and culture results, VUDS findings, and treatment outcomes of voiding dysfunction were carefully reviewed and analyzed. The mean age of the recurrent UTIs patients was 64.0 ± 16.0 years. Storage and voiding dysfunctions were found in 90 (90%) patients, including bladder neck dysfunction in 19 (19%), detrusor hyperactivity with impaired contractility in 6 (6%), detrusor overactivity in 5 (5%), detrusor underactivity in 10 (10%), dysfunctional voiding in 25 (25%), hypersensitive bladder in 6 (6%), and poor relaxation of the pelvic floor muscle in 20 (20%). Only 10 (10%) patients had normal urodynamic tracings. Compared with the controls, the recurrent UTI patients had significantly smaller cystometric bladder capacity, lower maximum flow rate, smaller voided volume, higher detrusor pressure, and larger PVR volume. However, only 6 (11.3%) patients with recurrent UTIs were free from subsequent UTIs following individualized treatment for their voiding dysfunction. A high incidence of vide urodynamic LUTD was identified in women with recurrent UTIs. Despite receiving individualized treatments based on their VUDS findings, only a small portion of these patients were subsequently free from UTIs.     

Non-invasive Testing and Its Role in Diagnosis and Management of Children With Voiding Dysfunction

Purpose of Review

The symptoms of non-neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) including urinary incontinence, frequency, and urgency are among the most common reasons for which children are referred to pediatric urologists. The workup for LUTD is often time consuming and a source of frustration for patients, parents, and clinicians alike. In this review, we describe the non-invasive tests that are available and discuss their utility in the evaluation and management of children with LUTD.

Recent Findings

The available non-invasive tests that can aid in the diagnosis and management of children with LUTD include urine studies, uroflowmetry ± simultaneous electromyography, assessment of post-void residual, renal/bladder ultrasound, and pelvic ultrasound. These tests can often help obviate the need for more invasive tests such as urodynamic studies and can be particularly helpful in complex or difficult cases that do not respond to standard urotherapy.

Summary

Non-invasive tests can help us in our goal of improving diagnostic ability to better classify the child’s LUTD into an actual condition which allows targeted treatment in the hope of better outcomes and more satisfied patients and families.

     

Utility of urine cultures in the emergency department

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common problem treated by emergency physicians. A midstream urine sample remains the most frequent method of culture collection. Although midstream urine culture growing more than 10(5) colony-forming units per milliliter (cfu/mL) has been considered diagnostic of UTI, high false-positive and false-negative rates as well as a lack of precision have been associated with this method of collection. Alternative methods of establishing the diagnosis of UTI have excellent sensitivity and may be utilized at the time of patient presentation. These include the detection of leukocyte esterase activity in urine and the presence of one or more bacteria on microscopic examination of an unspun urine sample. Women of child-bearing age represent the vast majority of patients seen with UTI. Uncomplicated infection of the urinary tract has a generally benign course in these patients, and is rarely associated with long-term complications. In addition, these patients are infected with a predictable spectrum of uropathogens that respond to the commonly used antibiotics. It appears that urine cultures provide little additional information in this patient population. Urine cultures should be obtained in patients at high risk for pyelonephritis or bacteremia/urosepsis, as well as in those expected to have uncommon or resistant organisms.     

Malakoplakia after kidney transplantation: Case report and literature review

Malakoplakia is a granulomatous disease associated with an infectious etiology, usually involving the urinary tract. It reveals itself as a recurrent urinary tract infection (r‐UTI), and in some cases, it is associated with impairment of renal function. Immunosuppression is one of its main associated factors, and it has been increasingly described in patients with solid organ transplantation (SOT), mainly kidney transplantation. Macroscopically, it can form masses and sometimes it may be confused with neoplasia, which is why histological findings are fundamental for the diagnosis. Here, we present a case of bladder malakoplakia, manifested by r‐UTI from Escherichia coli in a patient with renal transplantation, refractory to long‐term antibiotic treatment and reduction in immunosuppression, which resolved after surgical management. We also summarize the clinical characteristics of malakoplakia and compare them with previous reports in the literature on SOT.     

Long-term follow-up of children with vesicoureteral reflux with and without antibiotic prophylaxis

The aim of the present study was to obtain data on the outcome of children with persistent vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) after cessation of antibiotic prophylaxis. Children with VUR who had been on antibiotic prophylaxis for at least 2 y and were free of urinary tract infections (UTI), had normal voiding patterns, and no hydronephrosis or new kidney scarring, had antibiotic prophylaxis discontinued, were followed up prospectively with urine cultures, voiding cystourethrography, and technecium-99m dimercaptosuccinate renal scintigraphy. The findings were compared with those of the same patients while they were on antibiotic prophylaxis. In 54 children (39 girls and 15 boys), antibiotic prophylaxis was discontinued. The mean follow-up time on and off antibiotic prophylaxis was 4.4+/-2.1 and 4.4+/-2.2 y, respectively. Nine UTI episodes occurred during the on- and 8 during the off-prophylaxis period. In 80 of 96 and in 68 of 74 ureters the reflux resolved or downgraded during the on- and off-prophylaxis periods, respectively. No new scar lesions were detected in any of the children. In conclusion, in children with persistent VUR and certain characteristics, antibiotic prophylaxis can be safely discontinued.     

Reappraisal of the effectiveness of 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid scans for selective voiding cystourethrography in children with a first febrile urinary tract infection

Recent studies have yielded conflicting results regarding the ability of technetium-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid (^99mTc-DMSA) renal scans for identifying high-grade vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in children with a first febrile urinary tract infection (UTI). This study aimed to reevaluate the effectiveness of ^99mTc-DMSA renal scans for selective voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) in children with a first febrile UTI. The medical records of children aged ≤ 5 years who were admitted with a first febrile UTI were retrospectively reviewed. Ultrasonography (US) and DMSA renal scans were performed within 3–5 days after admission, and VCUG was performed 7–10 days after antibiotics treatment. A total of 653 children were enrolled for analysis, including 579 patients aged < 2 years (Group A) and 74 patients aged 2–5 years (Group B). In Group A, DMSA scans were abnormal for 346 patients (59.8%), and normal for 233 patients (40.2%). High-grade VUR was present in 99 of 346 patients (28.9%) with abnormal DMSA scans, but present in only 16 of 233 patients (6.9%) with normal DMSA scans (p < 0.001). Regarding the prediction of high-grade VUR, the sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) for the DMSA scans were 86.1% and 93.1%, respectively. In Group B, DMSA scans were abnormal for 36 patients (48.6%), and normal for 38 patients (51.4%). High-grade VUR was present in 12 of 36 patients (33.3%) with abnormal DMSA scans, whereas none of the 38 patients with normal DMSA scans had high-grade VUR (p < 0.001). The sensitivity and NPV of the DMSA scans were both 100%. Using the selective VCUG strategy, approximately 40% of Group A patients and 50% of Group B patients could be spared an unnecessary VCUG, respectively. Our study results suggest that ^99mTc-DMSA renal scans are effective in identifying children with a first febrile UTI for selective VCUG.     

Diagnosis and Management of Urinary Tract Infection in Hospitalized Older People

OBJECTIVES: To compare the diagnosis and management of urinary tract infection (UTI) in hospitalized older people with clinical criteria and therapeutic guidelines.
DESIGN: A retrospective case series of emergency hospital admissions collected over an 18-month period.
SETTING: An acute general hospital in northwest England.
PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred sixty-five patients aged 75 and older with a diagnosis of UTI at hospital discharge.
MEASUREMENTS: Data relating to age, sex, presenting complaint, admission and discharge destinations, background comorbidities and medications, investigations performed, treatment given, length of stay, and complications were obtained using chart review.
RESULTS: Of the 265 patients (mean age 85.4) the overdiagnosis of UTI was common, with 43.4% of patients not meeting criteria. Only 32.1% of patients overall had any urinary tract symptoms (48.7% in the UTI group). Of the non-UTI group, 12 (10.4%) had urinary tract symptoms with a negative urine culture, 43 (37.4%) had asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB), and 60 (52.2%) had neither urinary tract symptoms nor bacteriuria. Treatment given varied greatly. The mortality rate was 6.0%, and the average length of stay was 29.9 days (median 17.0, range 1–192). Complications were frequent, including Clostridium difficile diarrhea (8%), falls (4%), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection (3%), and fracture (2%).
CONCLUSION: More-reliable criteria are needed to aid the diagnosis of UTI in hospitalized older people. Better adherence to clinical management guidelines may improve outcomes.     

Feedback to nursing staff as an intervention to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infections.

Because of high incidence of catheter-related urinary tract infections (UTIs) in our Veterans Affairs medical center, we began providing nursing staff with unit-specific UTI rates. In our preintervention period, the first quarter of 1995, 38 infections occurred in 1186 catheter-patient-days or 32/1000 catheter-patient-days (95% CI, 22.9-43.7). Thereafter, nursing staff members were provided with a quarterly report with catheter-related UTI rates depicted graphically by unit. In the 18 months after this intervention, the mean UTI rate decreased to 17.4/1000 catheter-patient-days (95% CI, 14.6-20.6, P =.002). We estimated a cost savings of $403,000. We conclude that unit-specific feedback of nosocomial UTI rates to nursing staff is a highly effective method of reducing infection rates and reducing costs associated with nosocomial UTI.     

Antibiotics or surgery for vesicoureteric reflux in children

CONTEXT: 1-2% of children have vesicoureteric reflux (VUR). VUR occurs in 25-40% of children with acute pyelonephritis. VUR can lead to renal scarring, hypertension, and end-stage renal disease. The best form of treatment for children with VUR is debated: no treatment, long-term antibiotic prophylaxis, surgery, or a combination of antibiotic prophylaxis and surgery. In children with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) and progressive renal damage, despite antibiotic prophylaxis, surgical correction of VUR, especially high-grade VUR, is generally recommended. STARTING POINT: Danielle Wheeler and colleagues recently did a meta-analysis of ten randomised controlled trials (964 children) to evaluate whether any intervention for VUR is better than no treatment (Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2004; 3: CD001532). The main endpoints were incidence of UTIs, new or progressive renal damage, renal growth, hypertension, and glomerular filtration rate. They concluded that it is uncertain whether the identification of children with VUR is associated with clinically important benefit. The additional benefit of surgery over antibiotics is small. WHERE NEXT? New strategies for management will require a tailored diagnostic and therapeutic approach, including non-invasive or less invasive diagnostic procedures, and a less aggressive therapeutic approach. Whether the common practice of cystourethrography as a first-line investigation is warranted needs evaluation. The goal of paediatricians in the future, to prevent kidney damage, will probably be prevention of renal parenchymal injury and not necessarily the correction of ureterovesical junction anomalies. Because two main clinical pictures of VUR (diagnosed prenatally or postnatally with different age and sex distribution) can be identified, boys and girls will probably be managed differently. The factors responsible for congenital and acquired renal injury in children with VUR need to be studied.     

Ciprofloxacin for 2 or 4 weeks in the treatment of febrile urinary tract infection in men: a randomized trial with a 1 year follow-up

In an open, prospective, single-centre study, 114 men with a presumptive diagnosis of febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) were randomized to oral treatment with ciprofloxacin 500 mg twice daily for 2 or 4 weeks. 72 patients were assessable for efficacy according to the protocol, 65 of whom had prostatic involvement by the infection, as measured by transient increases in serum prostate-specific antigen and prostate volume. All patients responded successfully with resolution of fever and symptoms during treatment. There were no significant differences in short-term bacteriological and clinical cure rates between the 2 treatment regimens [89 vs 97%, 95%, confidence interval (95% CI) for difference in proportions -3 to 19%; and 92 vs 97%, 95% CI -5 to 15%, respectively]. The lower cure rates among those allocated to the 2 week regimen may be explained by a higher frequency of urinary tract abnormalities requiring surgical intervention. After 1 y, 21 patients had experienced recurrences, which comprised asymptomatic bacteriuria (n = 10), symptomatic lower UTI (n = 5) and another episode of febrile UTI (n = 6). The results suggest that a 2 week course of ciprofloxacin may be adequate for febrile UTI in men.     

Single-dose antibiotic therapy of urinary tract infection: Is it appropriate in the emergency department?

Accurate diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) is possible in the emergency department. Clinical differentiation of upper tract infection (pyelonephritis) from lower tract infection (cystitis) is difficult. The consequences of untreated UTI justify treatment by the emergency physician. Many treatment schemes are available. Single-dose antibiotic therapy is the preferred treatment method for uncomplicated UTI. It reduces compliance problems, effectively cures lower UTI, and provides for early identification of patients with more complex infection. The complications of this therapy are minimal.     

Renal Scarring in the Randomized Intervention for Children with Vesicoureteral Reflux (RIVUR) Trial

Background and objectives

The main objectives of the Randomized Intervention for Children with Vesicoureteral Reflux (RIVUR) trial were to evaluate the role of antimicrobial prophylaxis in the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) and renal scarring in children with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). We present a comprehensive evaluation of renal scarring outcomes in RIVUR trial participants.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

This multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled trial enrolled 607 children aged 2–71 months with grade 1–4 VUR diagnosed after a first or second febrile or symptomatic UTI. Study participants received trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or placebo and were followed for 2 years. Renal scarring was evaluated by baseline and follow-up ^99mtechnetium dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) renal scans that were reviewed independently by two blinded reference radiologists.

Results

At the end of the study, 58 (10%) of 599 children and 63 (5%) of 1197 renal units had renal scarring. New renal scarring did not differ between the prophylaxis and placebo groups (6% versus 7%, respectively). Children with renal scarring were significantly older (median age, 26 versus 11 months; P=0.01), had a second UTI before enrollment (odds ratio [OR], 2.85; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.38 to 5.92), were more likely to be Hispanic (OR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.13 to 4.34), and had higher grades of VUR (OR, 2.79; 95% CI, 1.56 to 5.0). The proportion of new scars in renal units with grade 4 VUR was significantly higher than in units with no VUR (OR, 24.2; 95% CI, 6.4 to 91.2).

Conclusions

Significantly more renal scarring was seen in relatively older children and in those with a second episode of febrile or symptomatic UTI before randomization. Preexisting and new renal scars occurred significantly more in renal units with grade 4 VUR than in those with low-grade or no VUR. Antimicrobial prophylaxis did not decrease the risk of renal scarring.     

Urinary tract infection as a risk factor for autoimmune liver disease: from bench to bedside

Autoimmune liver diseases include autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), and primary sclerosing cholangitis. A variety of environmental and genetic risk factors have been associated with these conditions. Recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTI) have been strongly associated with PBC, and to a lesser extent with AIH. These observations were initially based on the observation of significant bacteriuria in female patients with PBC. Larger epidemiological studies demonstrated that there was indeed a strong correlation between recurrent UTI and PBC. AIH has not been linked to recurrent UTI in epidemiological studies; however treatment of UTI with nitrofurantoin can induce AIH. As Escherichia coli is the most prevalent organism isolated in women with UTI, it has been suggested that molecular mimicry between microbial and human PDC-E2 (the main autoantigenic target in PBC) epitopes may explain the link between UTI and PBC. Multiple studies have demonstrated molecular mimicry and immunological cross-reactivity involving microbial and self-antigen mimics. This review will examine the literature surrounding UTI and autoimmune liver disease. This will include case reports and epidemiological studies, as well as experimental data.     

Bacterial adherence in the pathogenesis of urinary tract infection: a review

Bacterial adherence to the uroepithelium is recognized as an important mechanism in the initiation and pathogenesis of urinary tract infections (UTI). The uropathogens originate predominantly in the intestinal tract and initially colonize the periurethral region and ascend into the bladder, resulting in symptomatic or asymptomatic bacteriuria. Thereafter, depending on host factors and bacterial virulence factors, the organisms may further ascend and give rise to pyelonephritis. Uropathogens are selected by the presence of virulence characteristics that enable them to resist the normally efficient host defense mechanisms. Considerable progress has been made in identifying bacterial adhesins and in demonstrating bacterial receptor sites on uroepithelial surfaces. Recent studies have identified natural anti-adherence mechanisms in humans as well as possible increased susceptibility to UTI when these mechanisms are defective and when receptor density on uroepithelial cells is altered. Knowledge of bacterial adherence mechanisms may permit alternative methods of prevention and management of urinary infection, including the use of subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics, vaccine development, nonimmune inhibition of bacterial adhesins and receptor sites, and the use of autochthonous flora, such as lactobacilli, to exclude uropathogens from colonizing the urinary tract.     

Emphysematous Cystitis During Treatment of Suspected Nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus in Type 2 Diabetic Patient

Emphysematous cystitis is a rare disorder and complication of urinary tract infection (UTI), characterized by spontaneous gas formation in the urinary bladder because of bacterial fermentation. We present a case of emphysematous cystitis during treatment of suspected nonconvulsive status epilepticus in a patient with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. The patient recovered satisfactorily after 27 days of hospitalization. Treatment of emphysematous cystitis consisted of adequate urinary drainage, empirical antibiotic therapy, and strict blood glucose control. Diabetic patients are susceptible to an increased incidence of UTI and its complications. An early and correct diagnosis of UTI in diabetic patients followed by adequate treatment will prevent the disease from developing into a serious or life-threatening condition, such as emphysematous cystitis, or progressing to septic shock.     

Infecciones del tracto urinario nosocomiales

Nosocomial urinary tract infections (UTI) are mainly related to urinary catheterisation. In this paper we review the pathogenic mechanisms, particularly the route by which the microorganisms colonise the urinary tract, their adhesion ability, and their capacity to form biofilms, and are related not only to the microorganism but also to the type of urinary catheter. The aetiology of catheter related UTI is variable, and multiresistant microorganisms are often isolated, making empirical antibiotic therapy complex. Clinical findings are frequently atypical, and its diagnosis is difficult. The therapeutic management of catheter-related UTI should be stratified according to the type of UTI: asymptomatic bacteriuria should not be habitually treated, but patients with septic shock should receive a broad spectrum antibiotic. In this review, the value of the different preventive measures are discussed.