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Urinary Tract Infections in Patients with Spinal Cord Injuries

  • Urinary Tract Infections (Jack D. Sobel, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Spinal cord injuries (SCI) result in different lower urinary tract dysfunctions. Because of both the disease and the bladder drainage method, urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most frequent conditions seen in SCI patients. Diagnosis is not always easy due to lack of symptoms. Asymptomatic bacteriuria needs no treatment. If symptoms occur, antibiotherapy is indicated. Duration depends mainly on severity of illness and upper urinary tract or prostatic involvement. Choice of antibiotherapy should be based on local resistance profiles, but fluoroquinolones seems to be an adequate empirical treatment. Prevention of UTI is important, as lots of complications can be foreseen. Catheter care, permanent low bladder pressure and clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) with hydrophilic catheters are interventions that can prevent UTI. Probiotics might be useful, but data are limited.

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Disclosure

Karel Everaert has worked as a consultant for Allergan, Medtronic, and AMS, received grants from Pfizer and Bard, and has received honoraria from Allergan, Pfizer, Astellas, Coloplast, and Medtronic; Frederiek D’Hondt reported no potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article.

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  1. Department of Urology – P6, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Frederiek D’Hondt & Karel Everaert

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  1. Frederiek D’Hondt
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  2. Karel Everaert
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Correspondence to Karel Everaert.

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D’Hondt, F., Everaert, K. Urinary Tract Infections in Patients with Spinal Cord Injuries. Curr Infect Dis Rep 13, 544–551 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11908-011-0208-6

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