title: Chronic bacterial prostatitis in men with spinal cord injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) are a major problem affecting spinal cord injury (SCI) patients and may stem from chronic bacterial prostatitis. We have therefore investigated the presence of chronic bacterial prostatitis and its role in the development of recurrent symptomatic UTI in SCI men.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is a prospective cross-sectional investigation of bacterial prostatitis in SCI men in a single SCI rehabilitation center. In 50 men with chronic SCI presenting for a routine urologic examination, urine samples before and after prostate massage were taken for microbiologic investigation and white blood cell counting. Furthermore, patient characteristics, bladder diary details, and the annual rate of symptomatic UTI were collected retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No participant reported current symptoms of UTI or prostatitis. In most men (39/50, 78 %), the microbiologic analysis of the post-massage urine sample revealed growth of pathogenic bacteria. The majority of these men (32/39, 82 %) also presented with mostly (27/39, 69 %) the same pathogenic bacteria in the pre-massage sample. There was no significant (p = 0.48) difference in the number of symptomatic UTI in men with a positive post-massage culture compared with those with a negative culture. No significant (p = 0.67) difference in the frequency distribution of positive versus negative post-massage cultures was detected between men with recurrent and sporadic UTI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most SCI men are affected by asymptomatic bacterial prostatitis; however, bacterial prostatitis does not play a major role in the development of recurrent UTI. The indication for antibiotic treatment of chronic bacterial prostatitis in asymptomatic SCI men with recurrent UTI is questionable.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Trial Unit, Swiss Paraplegic Centre, Nottwil, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krebs
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bartel
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pannek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents