Women with symptoms of uncomplicated urinary tract infection are often willing to delay antibiotic treatment: a prospective cohort study

BMC Family Practice

Research Article

Gerben ter Riet¹  Bart J Knottnerus¹  Eric P Moll van Charante¹  Suzanne E Geerlings² 

[1] Department of General Practice, Academic Medical Center - University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22700, 1100 DE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands;Department of Internal Medicine / Infectious Diseases, Academic Medical Center - University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22700, 1100 DE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands;

关键词: Urinary tract infections;    General practice;    Antibiotics;    Delayed treatment;    Natural course;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2296-14-71

 received in 2012-10-08, accepted in 2013-05-01,  发布年份 2013

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundWomen presenting with symptoms of acute uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI) are often prescribed antibiotics. However, in 25 to 50% of symptomatic women not taking antibiotics, symptoms recover spontaneously within one week. It is not known how many women are prepared to delay antibiotic treatment. We investigated how many women presenting with UTI symptoms were willing to delay antibiotic treatment when asked by their general practitioner (GP).MethodsFrom 18 April 2006 until 8 October 2008, in a prospective cohort study, patients were recruited in 20 GP practices in and around Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Healthy, non-pregnant women who contacted their GP with painful and/or frequent micturition for no longer than seven days registered their symptoms and collected urine for urinalysis and culture. GPs were requested to ask all patients if they were willing to delay antibiotic treatment, without knowing the result of the culture at that moment. After seven days, patients reported whether their symptoms had improved and whether they had used any antibiotics.ResultsOf 176 women, 137 were asked by their GP to delay antibiotic treatment, of whom 37% (51/137) were willing to delay. After one week, 55% (28/51) of delaying women had not used antibiotics, of whom 71% (20/28) reported clinical improvement or cure. None of the participating women developed pyelonephritis.ConclusionsMore than a third of women with UTI symptoms are willing to delay antibiotic treatment when asked by their GP. The majority of delaying women report spontaneous symptom improvement after one week.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Knottnerus et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2013