title: Cystitis: symptomatology in women with suspected uncomplicated urinary tract infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although cystitis in women is very common in general practice, its evolution in symptoms has not been clearly studied. Qualitative research has pointed to other than the classic symptomatology.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective observational study of the symptomatology at presentation and the evolution of the symptoms in treated women with suspected uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI). Women consulting their general practitioner (GP) for dysuria, urgency, or frequency produced a urine sample (for bacteriologic processing) and kept a diary until the end of the symptoms. Exclusion criteria included complaints >1 week, fever, vaginal discharge, and known pathology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 300 asked to participate, 148 (49%) returned the diary. Although none of the patients developed acute pyelonephritis, a substantial number of the women had such complaints as feeling feverish (33% in culture-positive group, 38% in culture-negative group), back pains (44% vs. 56%), and feeling weak and tired (71% vs. 65%). Differences between the culture-positive and culture-negative groups were not statistically significant except for the duration of symptoms, which was shorter in the culture-positive group (4 vs. 6 days). More severe symptoms at inclusion were correlated with a longer duration of these symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The spectrum of complaints in women with suspected uncomplicated UTI is broad and comprises a number of symptoms usually associated with an upper UTI. The occurrence of these symptoms should not automatically prompt GPs to prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics. Moreover, the duration of symptoms exceeding the recommended duration of antibiotic therapy does not indicate therapy failure and, thus, the need for changing antibiotic therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. stefan.heytens@ugent.be
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heytens
authors.forename: An
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Sutter
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Backer
authors.forename: Gerda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Verschraegen
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Christiaens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003556:Cystitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult