title: Use of norfloxacin for prevention of symptomatic urinary tract infection in chronically catheterized patients.
abstract: Thirty-four elderly inpatients with long-term urethral catheters were randomly assigned to receive either norfloxacin (200 mg/day) or placebo in a double-blind study with cross-over after three months. Twenty-three patients completed the entire study. Norfloxacin treatment was associated with a persistent decrease in gram-negative isolates (p < 0.005) and the acquisition of gram-positive norfloxacin-resistant flora. It also resulted in a highly statistically significant reduction of symptomatic urinary tract infections (1 vs. 12, p < 0.02), a decrease in catheter-associated local complications, obstructions and leakage (p < 0.05) and an improvement in the patients' general condition (p < 0.001). In conclusion, within the conditions of the present study, long-term suppression of gram-negative bacteriuria by norfloxacin reduced the incidence of catheter-related urinary tract infection and associated morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: O T
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Rutschmann
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zwahlen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009643:Norfloxacin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D009643:Norfloxacin