title: Urinary tract infections in a neonatal intensive care unit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to describe laboratory findings and imaging results for neonatal patients diagnosed with urinary tract infection (UTI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records were reviewed for infants diagnosed with UTI in a single neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) over a 13-year period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 8,241 patients admitted to the NICU during the study period, 137 infants were diagnosed with UTI. Imaging was reviewed for 101 patients. Renal pelvis dilation was found in 34% of patients and vesicoureteral reflux was found in 21%. Renal pelvis dilation was not associated with reflux (OR: 0.53 [95% CI: 0.18-1.5]). The sensitivity of urinalysis to detect a positive culture was 76%, and the specificity was 41%. Tests of cure for bacterial infections were uniformly negative.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Renal pelvis dilation was common but not associated with reflux among NICU patients diagnosed with UTI. Diagnostic criteria in this population are not well defined, and guidelines are needed for diagnosis and management of UTIs in NICU patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Regional One Health and Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Mark F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Weems
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine of USC, LAC + USC Medical Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine of USC, LAC + USC Medical Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Rangasamy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramanathan
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine of USC, LAC + USC Medical Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Lorayne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Keck School of Medicine of USC, LAC + USC Medical Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vachon
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine of USC, LAC + USC Medical Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Smeeta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sardesai
mesh_terms: D002177:Candidiasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D055499:Catheter-Related Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D007682:Kidney Pelvis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D014463:Ultrasonography; D016482:Urinalysis; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D014556:Urine / Q000382:microbiology; D014718:Vesico-Ureteral Reflux / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*