[A prospective, descriptive study on the practice of management of urinary tract infections by general practitioners in Italy: clinical pathways (Part II)].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this prospective, descriptive study was to draw the picture of the diagnostic and therapeutic pathways of general practitioners (GPs) in the practice of management of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in Italy. The study results are published in two separate papers. We report here the clinical pathways followed by GPs to diagnose and treat UTIs.


METHODS
A total of 2.696 GPs were requested to fulfill a questionnaire on their perception of the prevalence of UTIs and their habits in the management of patients either before (IVU1 study, 1.111 GPs) or after (IVU2 study, 1.585 GPs) a specific training course. The clinical management pathway was analysed.


RESULTS
GPs turned out to share an appropriate management of UTIs, even though some discrepancies between the clinical habits and UTIs guidelines were focused. After the training course the discrepancies were partly amended (IVU2 study). Urinalysis and urine culture are nearly always requested by GPs, frequently including blood examinations. Older and newer fluoroquinolones are mostly prescribed for UTIs, followed by fosfomycin tromoetamol. Lifestyle recommendations for UTIs containment and prevention are released to patients by GPs.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical results of this study contribute to assess the habits of Italian GPs in diagnosing and treating UTIs. These data may be helpful for urologists in the management of community-acquired UTIs.
Bosisio
Virginio
V
Società Nazionale Aggiornamento Medico Interdisciplinare (SNAMID), Milano, Italy.
Stella
Roberto
R
Castagna
Stefano
S
Marchetti
Federico
F
D000328:Adult; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*