Urinary Infection Prophylaxis in Women
Authors: ALLAN R. RONALD
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1981)

Editorials1 February 1981Urinary Infection Prophylaxis in WomenALLAN R. RONALD, M.D., GODFREY K. M. HARDING, M.D.ALLAN R. RONALD, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, GODFREY K. M. HARDING, M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-94-2-268 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptProlonged antibacterial therapy for women with recurrent urinary tract infection was considered futile and perhaps ill advised (1) until prospective controlled studies by Bailey and colleagues (2) and by us (3) clearly showed the efficacy of continuous systemic low-dose antimicrobial prophylaxis in patients with multiple closely spaced infections. These studies were precipitated by evidence that urinary infections in females usually recurred because of entry of a new organism into the bladder from the fecal-perineal reservoir (4, 5).The value of chemoprophylaxis for bacterial infections is controversial. The use of a narrow-spectrum agent targeted toward a single microorganism for a defined,...References1. TURCKBROWDERLINDEMEYERBROWNANDERSONPETERSDORF MARNKR. Failure of prolonged treatment of chronic urinary tract infections with antibiotics. N Engl J Med. 1962;267:999-1005. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. BAILEYROBERTSGOWERDE WARDENER RAPH. Prevention of urinary tract infection with low-dose nitrofurantoin. Lancet. 1971;2:1112-4. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. HARDINGRONALD GA. A controlled study of antimicrobial prophylaxis of recurrent urinary infection in women. N Engl J Med. 1974;291:597-601. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. STAMEYTIMOTHYMILLARMIHARA TMMG. Recurrent urinary infections in adult women: the role of introital enterobacteria. Calif Med. 1971;115:1-19. MedlineGoogle Scholar5. KUNIN C. The natural history of recurrent bacteriuria in schoolgirls. N Engl J Med. 1970;282:1443-8. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. . Ambulatory medical care rendered in physicians' offices: United States, 1975. Adv Data. 1977;12:1-12. Google Scholar7. STAMEYCONDYMIHARA TMG. Prophylactic efficacy of nitrofurantoin macrocrystals and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in urinary infections: biologic effects on the vaginal and rectal flora. N Engl J Med. 1977;296:780-2. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. STAMMCOUNTSWAGNER WGK. Antimicrobial prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 1980;92:770-5. LinkGoogle Scholar9. RONALDHARDINGMATHIASWONGMUIR AGRCP. Prophylaxis of recurring urinary tract infection in females: a comparison of nitrofurantoin with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Can Med Assoc J. 1975;112:13S-5S. MedlineGoogle Scholar10. HOLMBERGBOMANBOTTIGERERIKSSONSPROSSWESSLING LGLBRA. Adverse reactions to nitrofurantoin: analysis of 921 reports. Am J Med. 1980;69:733-8. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar11. HOLLANDWEST NC. Prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections in girls. Am J Dis Child. 1963;105:560-7. MedlineGoogle Scholar12. PEARSONTOWNERMCSHERRYCATTELLO'GRADY NKAWF. Emergence of trimethoprim-resistant enterobacteria in patients receiving long-term co-trimoxazole for the control of intractable urinary-tract infection. Lancet. 1979;1:1205-9. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar13. HARDINGBUCKWOLDMARRIETHOMPSONLIGHTRONALD GFTLRA. Prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infection in female patients: efficacy of low-dose, thrice-weekly therapy with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. JAMA. 1979;242:1975-7. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar14. WINBERGBERGSTROMLINCOLNLINDIN-JOHNSON JTKG. Treatment trials in urinary tract infection (UTI) with special reference to the effect of antimicrobials on the fecal and periurethreal flora. Clin Nephrol. 1973;1:142-8. MedlineGoogle Scholar15. FREEMANSMITHRICHARDSON RWJ. Long-term therapy for chronic bacteriuria in men: U.S. Public Health Service Cooperative Study. Ann Intern Med. 1975;83:133-47. LinkGoogle Scholar16. STAMMMCKEVITTCOUNTSWAGNERTURCKHOLMES WMGKMK. Is antimicrobial prophylaxis of urinary tract infections cost effective? Ann Intern Med. 1981;94:251-5. LinkGoogle Scholar17. RAIFFA H. Decision Analysis: Introductory Lectures of Choices Under Uncertainty. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison Wesley; 1968. Google Scholar18. VOSTI K. Recurrent urinary tract infections: prevention by prophylactic antibiotics after sexual intercourse. JAMA. 1975;231:934-40. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar19. RUBINFANGJONES RLS. Single-dose amoxicillin therapy for urinary tract infection: multicenter trial using antibody-coated bacteria localization technique. JAMA. 1980;244:561-4. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar20. BAILEYABBOTT RG. Treatment of urinary tract infection with a single dose of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Can Med Assoc J. 1978;118:551-2. MedlineGoogle Scholar21. KRAFTSTAMEY JT. The natural history of symptomatic recurrent bacteriuria in women. Medicine (Baltimore). 1977;56:55-60. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byLiquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry quantification of urinary proanthocyanin A2 dimer and its potential use as a biomarker of cranberry intakeTherapy of Urinary Tract InfectionEffectiveness of Estriol-Containing Vaginal Pessaries and Nitrofurantoin Macrocrystal Therapy in the Prevention of Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection in Postmenopausal WomenDiscussion of L. E. Nicolle's presentationUnspezifische Infektionen des UrogenitaltraktesSouthwestern Internal Medicine Conference: Prognosis in Pyelonephritis: Promise or Progress?Problem Areas in the Management of Urinary Tract InfectionsAcute Dysuria in WomenAntimicrobial ChemoprophylaxisInfections of the Urinary TractClinical Management of Urinary Tract Infection 1 February 1981Volume 94, Issue 2Page: 268-270KeywordsAntibacterial therapyAntimicrobialsBladderChemopreventionProphylaxisProspective studiesUrinary tract infections Issue Published: 1 February 1981 PDF downloadLoading ...