Diagnosis of urinary tract infections in the hospitalized older adult population in Alberta.

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infections reported in older adults, across all settings. Although a diagnosis of a UTI requires specific clinical and microbiological criteria, many older adults are diagnosed with a UTI without meeting the diagnostic criteria, resulting in unnecessary antibiotic treatment and their potential side effects, and a failure to find the true cause of their presentation to hospital. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of UTI diagnoses amongst hospitalized older adults based on clinical and microbiological findings, and their corresponding antibiotic treatment (including complications), in addition to identifying possible factors associated with a confirmed UTI diagnosis. METHODS: A single-center retrospective cross-sectional study of older adult patients (n = 238) hospitalized at the University of Alberta Hospital with an admission diagnosis of UTI over a one-year period was performed. RESULTS: 44.6% (n = 106) of patients had a diagnosis of UTI which was supported by documents clinical and microbiological findings while 43.3% (n = 103) of patients had bacteriuria without documented symptoms. 54.2% (n = 129) of all patients were treated with antibiotics, despite not having evidence to support a diagnosis of a UTI, with 15.9% (n = 37) of those patients experiencing complications including diarrhea, Clostridioides difficile infection, and thrush. History of major neurocognitive disorder was significantly associated with diagnosis of UTI (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: UTIs are commonly misdiagnosed in hospitalized older adults by healthcare providers, resulting in the majority of such patients receiving unnecessary antibiotics, increasing the risk of complications. These findings will allow for initiatives to educate clinicians on the importance of UTI diagnosis in an older adult population and appropriately prescribing antibiotics to prevent unwanted complications.

Association Between Sexually Transmitted Infections and the Urine Culture.

Introduction: Bacterial urinary tract infections (UTI) and some sexually transmitted infections (STI) can have overlapping signs and symptoms or nonspecific findings, such as pyuria on urinalysis. Furthermore, results from the urine culture and the nucleic acid amplification test for an STI may not be available during the clinical encounter. We sought to determine whether gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis are associated with bacteriuria, information that might aid in the differentiation of STIs and UTIs. Methods: We used multinomial logistic regression to analyze 9,650 encounters of female patients who were aged ≥18 years and who underwent testing for STIs. The ED encounters took place from April 18, 2014-March 7, 2017. We used a multivariable regression analysis to account for patient demographics, urinalysis findings, vaginal wet-mount results, and positive or negative (or no) findings from the urine culture and testing for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, or Trichomonas vaginalis. Results: In multivariable analysis, infection with T vaginalis, N gonorrhoeae, or C trachomatis was not associated with having a urine culture yielding 10,000 or more colony-forming units per mililiter (CFU/mL) of bacteria compared with a urine culture yielding less than 10,000 CFU/mL or no urine culture obtained. The diagnosis of a UTI in the ED was not associated with having a urine culture yielding 10,000 or more CFU/mL compared with a urine culture yielding less than 10,000 CFU/mL. Conclusion: After adjusting for covariates, no association was observed between urine culture results and testing positive for trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia. Our results suggest that having a concurrent STI and bacterial UTI is unlikely.

Competitive fitness of asymptomatic bacteriuria E. coli strain 83972 against uropathogens in human urine.

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common bacterial infections worldwide. The main causative agent of UTI is uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). There is an immediate need for novel prophylactic and treatment strategies against UTI because of the increasing incidence of antimicrobial resistance among uropathogens. ABU 83972, an asymptomatic bacteriuria-causing E. coli strain, prevents UTI by suppressing the colonization of UPEC. However, the nature of competition and growth repression of UPEC by ABU 83972 is unclear and is the subject of our investigation. Here, we characterized the growth kinetics of ABU 83972 and uropathogens in human urine and laboratory media. Next, we performed a series of competitive co-culture experiments where ABU 83972 and uropathogens were inoculated at a 1:1 ratio in human urine and in various media, and their relative abundance was determined. In human urine, ABU 83972 outcompeted UPEC and additional uropathogens, reaching up to 90% of the total population after 24 hours of incubation. In contrast, UPEC outcompeted ABU 83972 in LB and M9 minimal media and exhibited superior colonization than ABU 83972 in the mouse urinary bladder. Since engineered living materials (ELMs) can be used to retain an organism of interest in a particular location, we developed ABU 83972-containing ELMs that effectively outcompeted UPEC in human urine. In summary, our work establishes that ABU 83972 outcompetes UPEC in a milieu- and cell-density-dependent manner, highlighting the importance of the metabolites and nutrients found in the human urine as determinants of the competitive fitness of ABU 83972.

Urinary calprotectin as a diagnostic tool for detecting significant bacteriuria.

Pyuria in dipstick examination serves as the most widespread screening tool for urinary tract infections (UTI). The absence of pyuria, however, does not exclude UTI. We investigated the diagnostic value of urinary calprotectin, a mediator protein of the innate immune system, which is released by leukocytes, for the detection of UTI and compared it with dipstick pyuria. Since even low numbers of leukocytes in the urine significantly increase urinary calprotectin concentrations, calprotectin might be a more sensitive marker than pyuria detected by dipstick. All 162 patients were prospectively included and underwent a urine dipstick, urine culture, quantification of proteinuria and determination of calprotectin in the urine. Urinary calprotectin was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). UTI was defined as urine cultures with detection of one or a maximum of two uropathogenic bacteria with ≥ 105 colony-forming units per millilitre (CFU/ml). Exclusion criteria were acute kidney injury, chronic renal insufficiency and tumors of the urinary tract. 71 (43.8%) patients had a UTI. Of the 91 patients without UTI, 23 had a contamination and 19 had evidence of ≥ 105 CFU/ml considered to be asymptomatic bacteriuria. The median calprotectin concentration in patients with UTI and pyuria was significantly higher than in patients with UTI and without pyuria (5510.4 vs. 544.7 ng/ml). In ROC analyses, calprotectin revealed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.70 for the detection of significant bacteriuria. Pyuria in dipstick examinations provided an AUC of 0.71. There was no significant difference between these AUCs in the DeLong test (p = 0.9). In patients with evidence of significant bacteriuria but without pyuria, a significantly higher calprotectin concentration was measured in the urine than in patients with neither pyuria nor UTI (544.7 ng/ml vs 95.6 ng/ml, p = 0.029). Urinary calprotectin is non-inferior to dipstick pyuria in the detection of UTI.

Turbidimetric bioassays: A solution to antimicrobial activity detection in asymptomatic bacteriuria isolates against uropathogenic Escherichia coli.

Traditional bacteriocin screening methods often face limitations due to diffusion-related challenges in agar matrices, which can prevent the peptides from reaching their target organism. Turbidimetric techniques offer a solution to these issues, eliminating diffusion-related problems and providing an initial quantification of bacteriocin efficacy in producer organisms. This study involved screening the cell-free supernatant (CFS) from eight uncharacterized asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) isolates and Escherichia coli 83972 for antimicrobial activity against clinical uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) strains using turbidimetric growth methods. ABU isolates exhibiting activity against five or more UPEC strains were further characterized (PUTS 37, PUTS 58, PUTS 59, S-07-4, and SK-106-1). The inhibition of the CFS by proteinase K suggested that the antimicrobial activity was proteinaceous in nature, potentially bacteriocins. The activity of E. coli PUTS 58 and SK-106-1 was enhanced in an artificial urine medium, with both inhibiting all eight UPECs. A putative microcin H47 operon was identified in E. coli SK-106-1, along with a previously identified microcin V and colicin E7 in E. coli PUTS 37 and PUTS 58, respectively. These findings indicate that ABU bacteriocin-producers could serve as viable prophylactics and therapeutics in the face of increasing antibiotic resistance among uropathogens.

Reducing Treatment of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria: What Works?

Asymptomatic bacteriuria is common, but usually benign. Inappropriate antimicrobial treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria contributes to negative antimicrobial outcomes. Optimizing antimicrobial use for bacteriuria is a component of antimicrobial stewardship programs and includes key practices of dissemination and implementation of guidelines, laboratory practices which support stewardship, and programs to monitor and implement optimal antimicrobial treatment for urinary infection. These activities vary in their effectiveness, costs, and complexity to institute. Stewardship strategies targeting unique populations with a high prevalence of bacteriuria and for whom symptom assessment is not straightforward need to be further developed and evaluated to support optimal stewardship.

Comparison of safety and efficacy of tubeless vs. conventional mini percutaneous nephrolithotomy in patients with Escherichia coli bacteriuria.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of tubeless percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in patients with Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteriuria. We conducted a retrospective review of 84 patients with E. coli bacteriuria who underwent PCNL. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether a nephrostomy tube is placed at the end of the procedure. Preoperative clinical data, surgical outcomes, and postoperative complications were compared. Then, regression analysis of factors predicting success rate of PCNL in patients with E. coli bacteriuria was performed. After PCNL, residual fragments ≤ 4 mm were considered as success. At baseline, the two groups were similar with regard to age, gender, BMI, underlying disease, hydronephrosis, stone characteristics, and urinalysis. Postoperative fever occurred in 1 patient (3.8%) in the tubeless PCNL group, and in 5 patients (8.6%) in the conventional PCNL group (p > 0.05). There were no significant differences in terms of successful rate, decrease in hemoglobin, pain scores, blood transfusion, and hospitalization expenses. However, the tubeless PCNL group had significantly shorter operative time (60 vs. 70 min, p = 0.033), indwelling time of catheter (2 vs. 4 days, p < 0.001), and hospital stays (3 vs. 5 days, p < 0.001) than the conventional PCNL group. In the analysis of factors predicting success, the stone diameter, stone burden, and operative time were associated with success rate of PCNL. It is safe and effective to perform tubeless PCNL in patients with E. coli bacteriuria. Compared to conventional PCNL, tubeless PCNL accelerates patient recovery and shortens hospital stays.

Bacteriological profile, antimicrobial susceptibility, and factors associated with urinary tract infection in pregnant women.

INTRODUCTION: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common bacterial complication in pregnancy. The study aimed to estimate the prevalence, risk factors, and bacterial etiology of UTI during pregnancy and determine the efficacy of antimicrobial drugs in treating UTIs. METHODOLOGY: Urine specimens and clinical data were collected from pregnant women who attended primary health centers in Erbil, Iraq. All specimens were cultured on appropriate media and identified by standard microbiological methods. The pregnant women were grouped into symptomatic UTI group, asymptomatic bacteriuria group, and the control group. The agar dilution method was used to determine antimicrobial susceptibility. RESULTS: Among the 5,042 pregnant women included in this study, significant bacteriuria was found in 625 (12.40%) of the cases, and 198 (31.68%) had symptomatic UTI, of which 43.59% were diagnosed during the third trimester. Out of the 643 bacteria isolated, 33.28% were symptomatic UTI, of which 43.59% developed during the third trimester. There was a significant difference in the bacterial etiology between symptomatic UTI and asymptomatic bacteriuria (p = 0.002), as well as between cystitis and pyelonephritis (p = 0.017). The most common bacterial species isolated was Escherichia coli, which was susceptible to fosfomycin (100%), meropenem (99.45%), and nitrofurantoin (97.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant women are more likely to develop UTI in the third trimester. Escherichia coli is the predominant pathogen. The study suggests the use of fosfomycin, meropenem, and nitrofurantoin for the treatment of UTI. No Gram-positive isolates were resistant to daptomycin.

[Inappropriate treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria]. / 5 minutes pour apprendre. Traitement problématique d'une bactériurie asymptomatique.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria is frequently encountered in clinical practice and should be treated only in pregnant women and before invasive urological procedures. Inappropriate treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria is associated with numerous adverse effects including allergic reactions, increased antibiotics resistance and increase risk of Clostridioides difficile infection. Positive urinary culture often leads to antimicrobial treatment, irrespective of urinary symptoms. Therefore, urine analysis and culture should be performed only in symptomatic individuals or in asymptomatic individuals with a clear indication for treatment.

Diagnostic Stewardship for Urine Cultures.

Urinary tract infections are among the most common infectious diagnoses in health care, but most urinary tract infections are diagnosed inappropriately in patients without signs or symptoms of infection. Asymptomatic bacteriuria leads to inappropriate antibiotic prescribing and negative downstream effects, including antimicrobial resistance, health care-associated infections, and adverse drug events. Diagnostic stewardship is the process of modifying the ordering, performing, or reporting of test results to improve clinical care. Diagnostic stewardship impacts the diagnostic pathway to decrease inappropriate detection and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria. This article reviews diagnostic stewardship methods and closes with a case study illustrating these principles in practice.

Recurrent Bacteriuria as a Prognosis Marker in the Adjuvant Treatment of Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer.

PURPOSE: Bacteriuria may affect the response to adjuvant therapy in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). The main aim of this study was to examine the effect of recurrent bacteriuria (RB) on the prognosis of NMIBC in women receiving intravesical therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We designed a prospective observational study from 2012 to 2019. We included women with bladder cancer treated with transurethral resection of the bladder (TURB) and adjuvant intravesical treatment. Significant bacteriuria was defined as a presence in urine cultures at or above 100,000 colony-forming units per millilitre. The recurrent bacteriuria group included patients with significant bacteriuria in at least two determinations in 6 months or in 3 or more determinations in a year. The institutional board approved the study. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-six patients diagnosed with NMIBC participate in the study, of whom 100 met the inclusion criteria. During follow-up, 48 were categorized in the RB group and 52 formed the non-bacteriuria group (NB). RB GROUP HAD A BETTER OUTCOME: Eight patients (16.67%) experiencing a recurrence of the same grade, with no progression to a higher-grade tumor or muscle-invasive tumor. In the NB group, 18 (34.6%) patients presented a recurrence (P = .001) and 22 (42.3%) progressed to a higher-grade tumor or muscular invasion (P = .001). The presence of RB was identified as a predictor of good response in multivariate regression with a relative risk of 0.13 (P = .018) CONCLUSIONS: Female patients with RB had a better response to adjuvant treatment for NMIBC. The RB group showed lower rates of tumor recurrences and progression.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in rural southwestern Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to identify the prevalence, bacterial isolates, antimicrobial susceptibility profile, and factors associated with asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in rural southwestern Nigeria. METHODS: We performed a hospital-based cross-sectional study of patients with T2DM and ASB. Demographic and clinical data were collected using questionnaires. Urine samples were cultured using standard laboratory procedures, and bacterial colonies were isolated and antimicrobial sensitivity was performed using the disc diffusion technique. Relationships between variables were assessed using adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Of the 280 participants, 73 (26.1%) had ASB (95% CI: 20.9%-31.2%). The most commonly identified isolate was E. coli (45/73; 61.7%), 100.0% of which were sensitive to cefuroxime but resistant to ciprofloxacin. Female sex (AOR, 6.132; 95% CI: 2.327-16.157), living below the poverty line (AOR, 2.066; 95% CI: 1.059-4.029), uncontrolled blood glucose (AOR, 2.097; 95% CI: 1.000-4.404), and a history of indwelling urethral catheterization (AOR, 14.521; 95% CI: 4.914-42.908) were associated with ASB. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that cefuroxime should be used as an empirical treatment, pending urine culture and sensitivity, and that efforts should be made to prevent ASB in rural southwestern Nigeria.

Purulent pericarditis caused by methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus bacteriuria.

BACKGROUND: Purulent pericarditis (PP)- a purulent infection involving the pericardial space-requires a high index of suspicion for diagnosis as it often lacks characteristic signs of pericarditis and carries a mortality rate as high as 40% even with treatment. Common risk factors include immunosuppression, diabetes mellitus, thoracic surgery, malignancy, and uremia. Most reported cases of PP occur in individuals with predisposing risk factors, such as immunosuppression, and result from more commonly observed preceding infections, such as pneumonia, osteomyelitis, and meningitis. We report a case of PP due to asymptomatic bacteriuria in a previously immunocompetent individual on a short course of high-dose steroids. CASE PRESENTATION: An 81-year-old male presented for severe epigastric pain that worsened with inspiration. He had been on high-dose prednisone for presumed inflammatory hip pain. History was notable for urinary retention requiring intermittent self-catheterization and asymptomatic bacteriuria and urinary tract infections due to methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). During the index admission he was found to have a moderate pericardial effusion. Pericardial fluid cultures grew MSSA that had an identical antibiogram to that of the urine cultures. A diagnosis of purulent pericarditis was made. CONCLUSION: PP requires a high index of suspicion, especially in hosts with atypical risk factors. This is the second case of PP occurring as a result of asymptomatic MSSA bacteriuria. Through reporting this case we hope to highlight the importance of early recognition of PP and the clinical implications of asymptomatic MSSA bacteriuria in the setting of urinary instrumentation and steroid use.

Bacteriuria in patients with stented ureters: predictors of infection in patients presenting to the hospital and when not to treat.

PURPOSE: Patients with ureteric stents have symptoms that overlap with infection symptoms. Thus, clinicians unnecessarily give antibiotics to stented patients with bacteriuria despite guidelines. In stented patients, little is known about risk factors for developing bacteriuria or urosepsis. The objectives were to identify the frequency and risk factors for developing bacteriuria and urosepsis in patients with stents. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we reviewed patients with ureteric stents placed or exchanged over 1 year. We examined associations between bacteriuria or urosepsis and host risk factors. Univariable and multivariable logistic analyses were performed. RESULTS: Of 286 patients (mean age: 57.2 years), 167 (58.4%) were male. The main stent indications were stone, stricture, cancer and extrinsic compression. The median stented period was 61 days. The frequency of bacteriuria was 59/286 (21%). ASA status 3 and 4 had 5 times the odds of having bacteriuria relative to ASA status 1. Stent duration > 2 months had 5.5 times the odds relative to ≤ 2 months. Urosepsis was infrequent, 13/286 (4.5%). Five patients had bacteraemia. A stent duration over 2 months had nearly 6 times the odds of urosepsis. CONCLUSION: ASA status higher than 2 and stent time greater than 2 months raise the odds of developing bacteriuria. A stent duration longer than 2 months was the only predictor of urosepsis. Though 21% of patients had bacteriuria, 4.5% had urosepsis. Hence, bacteriuria without sepsis should not be treated with antibiotics, thus aiding antimicrobial stewardship.

Risk factors and outcomes of bloodstream infection from a urinary source in kidney transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Bacteriuria is common among kidney transplant recipients (KTR). Risk factors and outcomes associated with bloodstream infection due to a urinary source (BSIU) in KTR are poorly understood. METHODS: This single center case-control study from 2010 to 2022 compared KTR with BSIU to those with bacteria without bloodstream infection (BU). Multivariable logistic regression identified BSIU risk factors, and Cox models assessed its impact on graft failure. RESULTS: Among 3435 patients, who underwent kidney transplantation at Emory Hospital, 757 (22%) developed bacteriuria, among whom 142 (18.8%) were BSIU. Male sex, presence of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, or Pseudomonas species in urine culture, urethral stricture, neuromuscular bladder disorder, and history of diabetes-induced renal failure were independently associated with increased odds of BSIU (Male sex: aOR 2.29, 95% CI 1.52, 3.47, E. coli: aOR 5.14, 95% CI 3.02, 9.13; K. pneumoniae aOR 3.19, 95% CI 1.65, 6.27, Pseudomonas spp aOR 3.06, 95% CI 1.25, 7.18; urethral stricture: 4.10, 95% CI 1.63, 10.3, neuromuscular bladder disorder aOR 1.98, 95% CI 1.09, 3.53, diabetes: aOR 1.64, 95% CI 1.08, 2.49). BSIU was associated with increased hazard of graft failure (HR 1.52, 95% CI 1.05, 2.20). CONCLUSION: Close monitoring is warranted for male KTR with bacteriuria, those with urine cultures positive for Pseudomonas spp, K. pneumoniae, or E. coli, as well as KTR with a history of diabetes-induced renal failure, urethral stricture, or neuromuscular bladder disorder due to their risk for developing BSIU. Future research should explore strategies to mitigate BSIU risk in these high-risk KTR and reduce the associated risk of long-term graft failure.

The rationale for bladder washouts in children with neurogenic bladder.

Children with a neurogenic bladder are at risk of developing recurrent urinary tract infections and long-term kidney failure. Due to an altered lower urinary tract, children may be overtreated for simple bacteriuria or undertreated for a potentially severe urinary tract infection. This group of patients represent high users of healthcare, and are at risk of colonization and development of antibiotic resistance. Bladder washouts with non-antibiotic electrochemically activated solutions are a potential new prophylactic option for patients with bladder dysfunction when clean intermittent catheterization has resulted in chronic bacteriuria.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria prior to partial and radical nephrectomy: To screen or not to screen? Results from the national and multicenter TOCUS database.

INTRODUCTION: In the era of increased bacterial resistance, the main strategy is to reduce the prescription of antibiotics when possible. Nowadays, it is highly recommended to screen for asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU), prior to urological surgery with potential mucosal breach or urine exposure. Screening and treating urinary colonization is a strategy widely adopted before radical and partial nephrectomy but without any evidence. Our main end point in this study is to analyze the relationship between preoperative urine culture and the risk of postoperative febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) or surgical-site infection (SSI) in partial or radical nephrectomy patients. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study between January 2016 and January 2023 in 11 French tertiary referral hospitals (TOCUS database). We collected the data for 269 patients including several pre-, intra-, and post-operative variables that could potentially increase the risk of postoperative UTI and SSI including preoperative urinary culture results. RESULTS: The incidence rate of postoperative UTI and SSI was 8.9% in our study. After conducting a logistic multivariate analysis, a propensity score matching analysis, and a subgroup analysis, we found no significant correlation between the urine culture and the postoperative UTI risk [OR = 1.2 (0.5-2.7) (p = 0.7)]. Only the postoperative non-infectious complications were related to a higher risk of postoperative UTI [OR = 12 (4-37), p < 0.001)]. CONCLUSION: Our research shows that screening and treating for ABU prior to radical or partial nephrectomy seems to be unnecessary to prevent postoperative UTI and SSI.

Bacteremia From a Presumed Urinary Source in Hospitalized Adults With Asymptomatic Bacteriuria.

Importance: Guidelines recommend withholding antibiotics in asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB), including among patients with altered mental status (AMS) and no systemic signs of infection. However, ASB treatment remains common. Objectives: To determine prevalence and factors associated with bacteremia from a presumed urinary source in inpatients with ASB with or without AMS and estimate antibiotics avoided if a 2% risk of bacteremia were used as a threshold to prompt empiric antibiotic treatment of ASB. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study assessed patients hospitalized to nonintensive care with ASB (no immune compromise or concomitant infections) in 68 Michigan hospitals from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2022. Data were analyzed from August 2022 to January 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was prevalence of bacteremia from a presumed urinary source (ie, positive blood culture with matching organisms within 3 days of urine culture). To determine factors associated with bacteremia, we used multivariable logistic regression models. We estimated each patient's risk of bacteremia and determined what percentage of patients empirically treated with antibiotics had less than 2% estimated risk of bacteremia. Results: Of 11 590 hospitalized patients with ASB (median [IQR] age, 78.2 [67.7-86.6] years; 8595 female patients [74.2%]; 2235 African American or Black patients [19.3%], 184 Hispanic patients [1.6%], and 8897 White patients [76.8%]), 8364 (72.2%) received antimicrobial treatment for UTI, and 161 (1.4%) had bacteremia from a presumed urinary source. Only 17 of 2126 patients with AMS but no systemic signs of infection (0.7%) developed bacteremia. On multivariable analysis, male sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.45; 95% CI, 1.02-2.05), hypotension (aOR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.18-2.93), 2 or more systemic inflammatory response criteria (aOR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.21-2.46), urinary retention (aOR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.18-2.96), fatigue (aOR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.08-2.17), log of serum leukocytosis (aOR, 3.38; 95% CI, 2.48-4.61), and pyuria (aOR, 3.31; 95% CI, 2.10-5.21) were associated with bacteremia. No single factor was associated with more than 2% risk of bacteremia. If 2% or higher risk of bacteremia were used as a cutoff for empiric antibiotics, antibiotic exposure would have been avoided in 78.4% (6323 of 8064) of empirically treated patients with low risk of bacteremia. Conclusions and Relevance: In patients with ASB, bacteremia from a presumed urinary source was rare, occurring in less than 1% of patients with AMS. A personalized, risk-based approach to empiric therapy could decrease unnecessary ASB treatment.

Reviving Sternheimer stain: A single-center retrospective study to detect the diagnostic utility of urinary tract infections in the emergency department.

INTRODUCTION: Qualitative urinalysis using the Sternheimer stain is a common method in Japan for identifying bacteriuria, but there is a lack of studies examining its test characteristics. In this study, we aimed to investigate the sensitivity and specificity of the Sternheimer stain for urine culture results and compare it with the sensitivity and specificity of the Gram stain. Our goal was to determine the usefulness of the Sternheimer stain in identifying bacteriuria. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Among 986 patients aged 16 years or older from whom samples for both urinalysis and urine culture were obtained at the emergency room of Tenri Hospital from January 2019 to December 2019, 342 patients with pyuria, defined as the presence of 10 or more white cells per cubic millimeter in a urine specimen, who had not received prior antimicrobial therapy were included. Urine cultures were used for comparison to determine the sensitivity and specificity of Sternheimer and Gram stain in this patient group. A positive Sternheimer stain result was defined as bacteriuria ≥ (1+), and that of Gram stain was defined as ≥ 1/1 field of high-power ( × 1000) oil immersion. RESULTS: Using urine culture results for comparison, the sensitivity of Sternheimer stain was 92.2%, the specificity was 48.5%, the positive likelihood ratio was 1.79, and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.16. DISCUSSION: Sternheimer stain is a rapid and useful method to exclude bacteriuria in a group of patients with pyuria in the emergency department.

Refining Bacteriuria as a Risk Factor for Complications After Urethroplasty: Identifying the Culprit.

OBJECTIVE: To determine which bacteria are associated with an increased risk of 90-day complications after urethroplasty. Preoperative bacteriuria is associated with an increased risk of complications after urethroplasty. However, it remains unclear which specific micro-organisms are the primary drivers of this morbidity. METHODS: A single-institution, 2-surgeon retrospective review was performed on patients undergoing urethroplasty from 08/2003 to 06/2021. Preoperative bacteriuria was considered significant when the patient had a mixed culture with ≥108 CFU/L or an identifiable micro-organism with ≥106 CFU/L. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the results and chi-square was used to determine the association between 90-day complications (Clavien ≥2) and clinical characteristics/bacteria. RESULTS: Out of 1611 patients, 23.2% (373) had significant preoperative bacteriuria. The most common pathogens included coagulase-negative staphylococcus 18.5% (69), mixed growth 15.8% (59), Escherichia coli 10.7% (40), and Enterococcus 14.2% (53). 7.9% (128/1611) experienced a significant 90-day complication (Clavien-Dindo ≥2). Gram-negative bacilli including E coli, Pseudomonas sp, Klebsiella sp, Serratia sp, Citrobacter sp, Achromobacter sp, Stenotrophomonas sp, and Morganella sp were associated with higher rates of postoperative complications (14.2%; P = .01) as well as Enterococcus sp (15.1%; P = .03). However, gram-positive cocci (7.9%; P = .97), gram-positive bacilli (11.8%; P = .47), mixed growth (5.1%; P = .54) and Candida (16.7%; P = .27) were not. Neither escalating concentrations of bacteria (P = .44) or number of strains (P = .08) were associated with increased risk of complications. CONCLUSION: The main driver of bacteriuria-related complications after urethroplasty are gram-negative bacilli and Enterococcus sp. Patients with bacteriuria related to other micro-organisms can likely proceed with urethroplasty without increased risk of postoperative complications.