title: Effectiveness of cranberry capsules to prevent urinary tract infections in vulnerable older persons: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial in long-term care facilities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether cranberry capsules prevent urinary tract infection (UTI) in long-term care facility (LTCF) residents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Double-blind randomized placebo-controlled multicenter trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Long-term care facilities (LTCFs).
  
  
  METHODS
  LTCF residents (N = 928; 703 women, median age 84).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cranberry and placebo capsules were taken twice daily for 12 months. Participants were stratified according to UTI risk (risk factors included long-term catheterization, diabetes mellitus, ≥ 1 UTI in preceding year). Main outcomes were incidence of UTI according to a clinical definition and a strict definition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In participants with high UTI risk at baseline (n = 516), the incidence of clinically defined UTI was lower with cranberry capsules than with placebo (62.8 vs 84.8 per 100 person-years at risk, P = .04); the treatment effect was 0.74 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.57-0.97). For the strict definition, the treatment effect was 1.02 (95% CI = 0.68-1.55). No difference in UTI incidence between cranberry and placebo was found in participants with low UTI risk (n = 412).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In LTCF residents with high UTI risk at baseline, taking cranberry capsules twice daily reduces the incidence of clinically defined UTI, although it does not reduce the incidence of strictly defined UTI. No difference in incidence of UTI was found in residents with low UTI risk.
authors.forename: Monique A A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Caljouw
authors.forename: Wilbert B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: van den Hout
authors.forename: Hein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Putter
authors.forename: Wilco P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Achterberg
authors.forename: Herman J M
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Cools
authors.forename: Jacobijn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gussekloo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002214:Capsules; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010919:Placebos; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D029799:Vaccinium macrocarpon
chemical_list: D002214:Capsules; D010919:Placebos