Antibiotic treatment for five days is effective in children with acute cystitis.
Short courses of antibiotics are often recommended to treat children with acute cystitis despite lack of firm evidence to support such management. The aim of this study therefore was to analyse the short-term outcome of such treatment. The retrospective analysis included 300 children (252F, 48M) fulfilling the criteria of first-time acute cystitis and managed according to a protocol recommending 5 d treatment. In 214 (71%) the treatment was given according to the protocol and in the others for 7 or 10 d. Nitrofurantoin was used in 150 (50%) and trimethoprim without or with sulfonamide in 129 (43%). The short-term results were excellent with 96% of the children being free from symptoms at the first follow-up visit after a median of 6 d. Only 2 girls had persisting bacteriuria and thus the frequency of bacteriological treatment failure was 1%. Recurrence within 30 d occurred in 4 girls (2%).


CONCLUSIONS
A 5 d treatment with antibiotics is adequate in children with acute cystitis. Routine follow-up visits after a first acute cystitis may not be necessary, providing that the bacteria causing the infection are sensitive to the prescribed antibiotic and that there is no history of defective bladder or bowel emptying.
Abrahamsson
K
K
Department of Paediatric Surgery, The Queen Silvia Children 's Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. kaab0001@telia.com
Hansson
S
S
Larsson
P
P
Jodal
U
U
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003556:Cystitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009582:Nitrofurantoin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011336:Probability; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014295:Trimethoprim / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D013449:Sulfonamides; D009582:Nitrofurantoin; D014295:Trimethoprim