Clinically inapparent (asymptomatic) bacteriuria in ambulatory elderly men: epidemiological, clinical, and microbiological findings.
In a prospective longitudinal study, ambulatory elderly men were followed from 1 to 4.5 years to gain insight into the prevalence rates, clinical characteristics, and patterns of clinically inapparent (asymptomatic) bacteriuria (CIB). The prevalence of CIB was 12% (29/238) and increases with age. Unlike the gram-negative organisms that cause overt urinary tract infection in this age group, gram-positive organisms dominated the CIB group. Both the CIB and abacteriuric patients have multiple chronic medical conditions and are indistinguishable on that basis. Twenty-nine elderly men with bacteriuria and 105 abacteriuric subjects were followed with serial urine cultures. During the study period the bacteriuric subjects exhibited spontaneous temporary or permanent resolution (76%, 22/29), intermittency (21%, 6/29), and probable bacterial persistence (38%, 11/29). No consistent pattern of bacteriuria was evident. Therefore, antimicrobial therapy is not warranted in the treatment of asymptomatic or clinically inapparent bacteriuria in ambulatory elderly men.
Mims
A D
AD
Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine.
Norman
D C
DC
Yamamura
R H
RH
Yoshikawa
T T
TT
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001437:Bacteriuria / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000209:etiology