title: The significance of compliance for the success of antimicrobial prophylaxis in recurrent lower urinary tract infections: the Greek experience.
abstract: In an attempt to define the most important driver responsible for recurrence of cystitis in women, 181 records were retrospectively analysed among 1010 consecutive references in a tertiary centre for lower urinary tract infections (UTIs). All 181 women had more than three episodes of cystitis per year; 129 were under continuous prophylaxis and 52 were under postcoital prophylaxis. Analysis revealed that the most important factor affecting successful outcome of chemoprophylaxis was the compliance of patients (odds ratio 0.074; P<0.0001). Among women treated for >or=6 months, the most effective regimen was nitrofurantoin, with a success rate of 96.8% compared with 82.8% for trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole and 72.3% for norfloxacin (P=0.046 between agents). Failure of chemoprophylaxis was observed in 51 women in total; in 26 of them resistance to the administered agent had developed. Results of this retrospective study revealed that the most important driver leading to failure of prophylaxis for recurrent lower UTIs was the lack of compliance of women with their medication. Nitrofurantoin was the most potent among the administered agents.
authors: 4th Department of Internal Medicine, University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece.
authors: Zoi
authors: Z
authors: Alexiou
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Mouktaroudi
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Koratzanis
authors: Antonios
authors: A
authors: Papadopoulos
authors: Dimitra
authors: D
authors: Kavatha
authors: Kyriaki
authors: K
authors: Kanellakopoulou
authors: Helen
authors: H
authors: Giamarellou
authors: Evangelos J
authors: EJ
authors: Giamarellos-Bourboulis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents