Current prescribing practices and guideline concordance for the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women

Urinary tract infections: pathogenesis, host susceptibility and emerging therapeutics

Urinary tract infections (UTIs), which include any infection of the urethra, bladder or kidneys, account for an estimated 400 million infections and billions of dollars in health-care spending per year. The most common bacterium implicated in UTI is uropathogenic Escherichia coli, but diverse pathogens including Klebsiella, Enterococcus, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus and even yeast such as Candida species can also cause UTIs. UTIs occur in both women and men and in both healthy and immunocompromised patients. However, certain patient factors predispose to disease: for example, female sex, history of prior UTI, or the presence of a urinary catheter or other urinary tract abnormality. The current clinical paradigm for the treatment of UTIs involves the use of antibiotics. Unfortunately, the efficacy of this approach is dwindling as the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance rises among UTI isolates, and the immense quantity of antibiotics prescribed annually for these infections contributes to the emergence of resistant pathogens. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new antibiotics and non-antibiotic treatment and prevention strategies. In this Review, we discuss how recent studies of bacterial pathogenesis, recurrence, persistence, host-pathogen interactions and host susceptibility factors have elucidated new and promising targets for the treatment and prevention of UTIs.

Perceived Knowledge, Guidelines Concordance, and Practices of Physicians for Management of Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections in Women

Background

Recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTIs) are common complaints that burden the healthcare system. Reporting perceived knowledge and guidelines in concordance regarding the management of (rUTI) is essential for providing better healthcare and higher treatment rate. This study assesses the perceived knowledge, guidelines concordance, and physicians' practices toward treatment of (rUTI) among physicians with different specialties.

Study Design

This questionnaire-based survey included residents, fellows, and consultants of various specialties across several regions in Saudi Arabia.

Results

A total of 419 physicians were included in the final analysis. In terms of age distribution, the majority were 28-38 years of age (159, 37.9%), followed by 18-28 years (99, 23.6%). Gender distribution was nearly balanced. The sample included a significant number of residents (182, 43.4%), consultants (173, 41.3%), and fellows (64, 15.3%). OBS/GYNE shows a significant presence of females (40.6%) and is notably represented in private hospitals or clinics (52.5%) and among fellows (40.6%) and consultants (32.4%). Infectious disease physicians had the highest perceived knowledge scores (3.83 ± 0.09), followed closely by urologists/urogynecologists (3.67 ± 0.48). Urologists/urogynecologists also reported the highest satisfaction (4.24 ± 0.83) and familiarity (2.89 ± 1.11) with new rUTI guidelines. Infectious disease physicians were most confident (3.50 ± 0.71) in communicating with patients about rUTI treatment options. In terms of practices and guideline adherence, obstetricians/gynaecologists were more likely to repeat urine sample tests for suspected contamination (3.73 ± 1.00) and less likely to treat asymptomatic bacteriuria (1.33 ± 0.59) the same as UTIs compared to other physicians. They also scored highest in conducting post-treatment tests for asymptomatic patients (3.21 ± 1.37) and recommending vaginal estrogen therapy for peri- and post-menopausal women to prevent UTIs (3.59 ± 1.06) among all specialties. Conversely, urologists and urogynecologists were more likely to discuss antibiotic prophylaxis (3.79 ± 0.89) and cranberry prophylaxis (3.71 ± 0.73) with their rUTI patients.

Conclusion

The findings highlight variations in knowledge, satisfaction, familiarity with guidelines, confidence in communication, and guideline concordance among different physician specialities regarding the management of UTIs and rUTIs.

U.S. primary care physician perceptions on barriers to providing guideline-driven care for UTI and recurrent UTI: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Urinary tract infections (UTI) affect almost two-thirds of all women during their lives and many experience recurrent infections. There are evidence-based guidelines from multiple international societies for evaluation and treatment; however, recent claims-based analyses have demonstrated that adherence to these guidelines is poor. This study seeks to understand the barriers experienced by U.S. primary care providers (PCPs) to providing guideline-based care for UTI and recurrent UTI (rUTI).

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews of 18 PCPs, recruited from the greater Los Angeles area, examined real-world clinical management of UTI/rUTI episodes, decisions to refer to subspecialty care, and resources guiding counseling and management. Grounded theory methodology served to analyze interview transcripts and identify preliminary and major themes.

RESULTS

Participants expressed the desire to obtain urine cultures for each cystitis episode, but felt pressured to make compromises by patient demands or barriers to care. PCPs had lower thresholds to empirical treatment if patients had a history of rUTIs, were elderly, or declined evaluation. Laboratory data was minimally utilized in clinical decision-making: urinalyses were infrequently considered when interpreting culture data. PCPs treated a broad set of urologic and non-urologic symptoms as UTI, even with negative cultures. PCPs did not feel comfortable initiating UTI prophylaxis, instead seeking specialist evaluation for anatomic causes. They were unaware of management guidelines, typically utilizing UpToDate® as their primary resource. Few evidence-based UTI prevention interventions were recommended by providers.

CONCLUSIONS

Low availability of succinct and clear professional guidelines are substantial barriers to appropriate UTI/rUTI care. Poor useability of clinical guidance documents results in substantial confusion about the role of preventative measures and additional diagnostic testing. Difficulties in patient access to care providers lead to expectations for presumptive treatment. Future studies are needed to determine if improved educational materials for providers and/or management algorithms can improve guideline concordance of UTI management.

Antibiotic Stewardship Interventions for Urinary Tract Infections in Outpatient Settings: A Narrative Review

Inappropriate antibiotic choice or duration of therapy for urinary tract infections (UTIs) in outpatients is common and is a major contributor to antibiotic overuse. Most studies on outpatient antibiotic stewardship for UTIs follow a pre-design or post-design with a multifaceted intervention; these trials generally have found improvement in appropriateness of antibiotic use for UTI. Audit and feedback was one of the most commonly employed strategies across these trials but may not be sustainable. Future research on antibiotic stewardship for UTIs in outpatients should measure both effectiveness and implementation success.

Current and emerging strategies to curb antibiotic-resistant urinary tract infections

Rising rates of antibiotic resistance in uropathogenic bacteria compromise patient outcomes and prolong hospital stays. Consequently, new strategies are needed to prevent and control the spread of antibiotic resistance in uropathogenic bacteria. Over the past two decades, sizeable clinical efforts and research advances have changed urinary tract infection (UTI) treatment and prevention strategies to conserve antibiotic use. The emergence of antimicrobial stewardship, policies from national societies, and the development of new antimicrobials have shaped modern UTI practices. Future UTI management practices could be driven by the evolution of antimicrobial stewardship, improved and readily available diagnostics, and an improved understanding of how the microbiome affects UTI. Forthcoming UTI treatment and prevention strategies could employ novel bactericidal compounds, combinations of new and classic antimicrobials that enhance bacterial killing, medications that prevent bacterial attachment to uroepithelial cells, repurposing drugs, and vaccines to curtail the rising rates of antibiotic resistance in uropathogenic bacteria and improve outcomes in people with UTI.

Exploring variations in recommended first-choice therapy for complicated urinary tract infections in males: Insights from outpatient settings across age, race, and ethnicity

INTRODUCTION

There are known disparities in the treatment of infectious diseases. However, disparities in treatment of complicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) are largely uninvestigated.

OBJECTIVES

We characterized UTI treatment among males in Veterans Affairs (VA) outpatient settings by age, race, and ethnicity and identified demographic characteristics predictive of recommended first-choice antibiotic therapy.

METHODS

We conducted a national, retrospective cohort study of male VA patients diagnosed with a UTI and dispensed an outpatient antibiotic from January 2010 through December 2020. Recommended first-choice therapy for complicated UTI was defined as use of a recommended first-line antibiotic drug choice regardless of area of involvement (ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, or sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim) and a recommended duration of 7 to 10 days of therapy. Multivariable models were used to identify demographic predictors of recommended first-choice therapy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] > 1).

RESULTS

We identified a total of 157,898 males diagnosed and treated for a UTI in the outpatient setting. The average antibiotic duration was 9.4 days (±standard deviation [SD] 4.6), and 47.6% of patients were treated with ciprofloxacin, 25.1% with sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, 7.6% with nitrofurantoin, and 6.6% with levofloxacin. Only half of the male patients (50.6%, n = 79,928) were treated with recommended first-choice therapy (first-line drug choice and appropriate duration); 77.6% (n = 122,590) were treated with a recommended antibiotic choice and 65.9% (n = 104,070) with a recommended duration. Age 18-49 years (aOR 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-1.11) versus age ≥65 years was the only demographic factor predictive of recommended first-choice therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly half of the patients included in this study did not receive recommended first-choice therapies; however, racial and ethnic disparities were not identified. Underutilization of recommended first-choice antibiotic therapy in complicated UTIs continues to be an area of focus for antimicrobial stewardship programs.

Use of Methenamine for Urinary Tract Infection Prophylaxis: Systematic Review of Recent Evidence

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Antibiotic resistance is an unavoidable consequence of antibiotic use and growing rates of resistance are an urgent issue. Methenamine is a non-antibiotic alternative used for urinary tract infection (UTI) prophylaxis. The objective of this review is to evaluate recently published literature regarding the efficacy and safety of methenamine for UTI prophylaxis.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, and CENTRAL databases were queried in March 2023 using the following search terms: urinary tract infection, cystitis, bacteriuria, or dysuria, and methenamine. Studies prior to 2012 were excluded from this review to focus on appraisal of the most recent evidence. Prospective and controlled retrospective trials were included for review.

RESULTS

A total of seven studies (three prospective and four retrospective) met the inclusion criteria for review. Two of the 3 prospective studies demonstrated no or non-inferior differences in clinical efficacy to prevent recurrent UTIs between methenamine and antibiotic prophylaxis and the third showed decreased rates of UTI with methenamine use in patients with short-term indwelling catheters compared with cranberry alone. The retrospective studies consistently supported the efficacy and safety of methenamine for UTI prophylaxis in a variety of populations and clinical settings. Adverse effects reported with methenamine were similar to comparators and included nausea, abdominal pain, and headache.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of methenamine for UTI prophylaxis was shown to be effective in a variety of settings without an increased risk of adverse effects compared with prophylactic antibiotics. Larger blinded clinical trials are needed to further define the role of methenamine in UTI prophylaxis.

Antibiotic prescription patterns in patients with suspected urinary tract infections in Ecuador

BACKGROUND

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are among the most common cause to prescribe antibiotics in primary care. Diagnosis is based on the presence of clinical symptoms in combination with the results of laboratory tests. Antibiotic therapy is the primary approach to the treatment of UTIs; however, some studies indicate that therapeutics in UTIs may be suboptimal, potentially leading to therapeutic failure and increased bacterial resistance.

METHODS

This study aimed to analyze the antibiotic prescription patterns in adult patients with suspected UTIs and to evaluate the appropriateness of the antibiotic prescription. This is a cross-sectional study of patients treated in outpatient centers and in a second-level hospital of the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) in a city in Ecuador during 2019. The International Classification of Disease Tenth Revision (ICD-10) was used for the selection of the acute UTI cases. The patients included in this study were those treated by family, emergency, and internal medicine physicians.

RESULTS

We included a total of 507 patients in the analysis and 502 were prescribed antibiotics at first contact, constituting an immediate antibiotic prescription rate of 99.01%. Appropriate criteria for antibiotic prescription were met in 284 patients, representing an appropriate prescription rate of 56.02%. Less than 10% of patients with UTI had a urine culture. The most frequently prescribed antibiotics were alternative antibiotics (also known as second-line antibiotics), such as ciprofloxacin (50.39%) and cephalexin (23.55%). Factors associated with inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for UTIs were physician age over forty years, OR: 2.87 (95% CI, 1.65-5.12) p<0.0001, medical care by a general practitioner, OR: 1.89 (95% CI, 1.20-2.99) p = 0.006, not using point-of-care testing, OR: 1.96 (95% CI, 1.23-3.15) p = 0.005, and care at the first level of health, OR: 15.72 (95% CI, 8.57-30.88) p<0.0001.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of our study indicate an appropriate prescription rate of 56.02%. Recommended antibiotics such as nitrofurantoin and fosfomycin for UTIs are underutilized. The odds for inappropriate antibiotic prescription were 15.72 times higher at the first level of care compared to the second. Effective strategies are needed to improve the diagnosis and treatment of UTIs.

Health Equity and Antibiotic Prescribing in the United States: A Systematic Scoping Review

We performed a scoping review of articles published from 1 January 2000 to 4 January 2022 to characterize inequities in antibiotic prescribing and use across healthcare settings in the United States to inform antibiotic stewardship interventions and research. We included 34 observational studies, 21 cross-sectional survey studies, 4 intervention studies, and 2 systematic reviews. Most studies (55 of 61 [90%]) described the outpatient setting, 3 articles were from dentistry, 2 were from long-term care, and 1 was from acute care. Differences in antibiotic prescribing were found by patient's race and ethnicity, sex, age, socioeconomic factors, geography, clinician's age and specialty, and healthcare setting, with an emphasis on outpatient settings. Few studies assessed stewardship interventions. Clinicians, antibiotic stewardship experts, and health systems should be aware that prescribing behavior varies according to both clinician- and patient-level markers. Prescribing differences likely represent structural inequities; however, no studies reported underlying drivers of inequities in antibiotic prescribing.

Nitrofurantoin-induced liver injury: long-term follow-up in two prospective DILI registries

Nitrofurantoin is a synthetic antibiotic that is recommended as first-choice treatment for uncomplicated urinary tract infections. The prescription of this drug has increased dramatically, especially in Latin American countries. We described the demographics, clinical characteristics, biochemical features, and outcome of nitrofurantoin-induced liver injury. We analyzed 23 cases from the Latin American DILI Network (LATINDILI) and the Spanish DILI Registry. Causality was assessed with the RUCAM and RECAM scale. Of the 23 DILI cases included in our series, 96% patients were women, and the mean age of the whole cohort was 61 years. The median time of drug exposure was 175 days (interquartile range [IQR] 96-760), with 11 patients who were prescribed nitrofurantoin for more than six months. Hepatocellular damage was the most frequent pattern of liver injury (83%), and nearly half of the patients had an asymptomatic presentation (52%). Neither death nor liver transplantation was documented in this series. Overall, 65% of the patients (n = 15) presented with positive autoantibody titres. The median time to resolution was 81 days (IQR 57-141), and 15 patients (83%) recovered within six months. Five patients (22%) developed nitrofurantoin-induced autoimmune-like hepatitis (NI-AILH), of whom two were characterized by a persistent increase in transaminases that required immunosuppressive treatment to achieve normalization of liver enzymes. Clinicians who prescribe nitrofurantoin should be aware that patients who had taken nitrofurantoin for a long term may be at risk of developing nitrofurantoin-induced autoimmune-like hepatitis.

Unmet Needs in Complicated Urinary Tract Infections: Challenges, Recommendations, and Emerging Treatment Pathways

While urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common types of infections globally, the wide variety of presentations and of severity of disease can make it difficult to manage. The definition for uncomplicated UTIs (uUTIs) is generally regarded as UTIs in healthy, non-pregnant women whereas all other UTIs are considered complicated. There is, however, a lack of consensus definition of complicated UTIs (cUTIs), leading to global differences in management. In addition, the patients who develop complicated UTIs generally have other comorbidities that warrant more urgent intervention. One of the biggest challenges in treating cUTIs is the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). While there have been recent drug approvals for new antibiotic to treat these resistant organisms, a multidisciplinary approach, including regulatory frameworks, provider education and public awareness campaigns, is crucial to limiting unnecessary treatments for asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) and uUTIs that can ultimately lead to more severe infections.

Outpatient treatment and clinical outcomes of bacteriuria in veterans: A retrospective cohort analysis

OBJECTIVE

To conduct a contemporary detailed assessment of outpatient antibiotic prescribing and outcomes for positive urine cultures in a mixed-sex cohort.

DESIGN

Multicenter retrospective cohort review.

SETTING

The study was conducted using data from 31 Veterans' Affairs medical centers.

PATIENTS

Outpatient adults with positive urine cultures.

METHODS

From 2016 to 2019, data were extracted through a nationwide database and manual chart review. Positive urine cultures were reviewed at the chart, clinician, and aggregate levels. Cases were classified as cystitis, pyelonephritis, or asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) based upon documented signs and symptoms. Preferred therapy definitions were applied for subdiagnoses: ASB (no antibiotics), cystitis (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, nitrofurantoin, β-lactams), and pyelonephritis (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, fluoroquinolone). Outcomes included 30-day clinical failure or hospitalization. Odds ratios for outcomes between treatments were estimated using logistic regression.

RESULTS

Of 3,255 cases reviewed, ASB was identified in 1,628 cases (50%), cystitis was identified in 1,156 cases (36%), and pyelonephritis was identified in 471 cases (15%). Of all 2,831 cases, 1,298 (46%) received preferred therapy selection and duration for cases where it could be defined. The most common antibiotic class prescribed was a fluoroquinolone (34%). Patients prescribed preferred therapy had lower odds of clinical failure: preferred (8%) versus nonpreferred (10%) (unadjusted OR, 0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.58-0.95; P = .018). They also had lower odds of 30-day hospitalization: preferred therapy (3%) versus nonpreferred therapy (5%) (unadjusted OR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.37-0.81; P = .002). Odds of clinical treatment failure or hospitalization was higher for β-lactams relative to ciprofloxacin (unadjusted OR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.23-2.90; P = .002).

CONCLUSIONS

Clinicians prescribed preferred therapy 46% of the time. Those prescribed preferred therapy had lower odds of clinical failure and of being hospitalized.

Compliance to Guidelines in Prescribing Empirical Antibiotics for Individuals with Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection in a Primary Health Facility of Ghana, 2019-2021

Increasing trends in antimicrobial resistance among uropathogens call for rational use of empirical antibiotics for managing uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs). In Ghana, standard treatment guidelines (STGs) for UTI recommend oral ciprofloxacin or cefuroxime for 5-7 days in females and 10-14 days in males. We conducted a cross-sectional audit using electronic medical records (EMR) to assess compliance to the STGs among adults (≥18 years) with uncomplicated UTIs diagnosed in a primary health facility between October 2019 and October 2021. Among 3717 patients, 71% were females and all had complete prescription details in the EMR. Of all the patients, 83% were prescribed empirical antibiotics, of whom 88% received oral ciprofloxacin or cefuroxime. Only 68% were prescribed antibiotics for the correct duration, which was significantly lower among males (10%) compared to females (90%). Among patients who received antibiotics, 60% were prescribed in line with the STGs. The results call for feedback to physicians about poor compliance to STGs with duration of antibiotic prescribed. Recommendations on 10-14 days duration of antibiotics for males needs to be reassessed and necessary amendments to STGs can be made. Leveraging the well-established EMR system, a real-time audit-feedback mechanism can be instituted to improve compliance with STGs.

Antibiotic Prescribing Patterns and Guideline Concordance for Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections Among Adult Women in the US Military Health System

IMPORTANCE

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most commonly diagnosed infections, and prior studies have reported discordance in antibiotic treatment with the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) guidelines.

OBJECTIVE

To assess IDSA guideline concordance rates for women with uncomplicated UTIs treated with antibiotics, and compare concordance rates between different specialty field.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Retrospective cross-sectional study of health care claims data from the US Military Health System Data Repository, which contains comprehensive health care encounter and claims data for all military beneficiaries. Participants were adult women between the ages of 18 to 50 years with uncomplicated UTIs from October 1, 2017, to September 30, 2019. Data extraction and analysis were performed in 2022. Patients with diagnosis of UTI in the preceding 6 months, current pregnancy, history of pyelonephritis, history of diabetes, history of organ transplant, history of human immunodeficiency virus, immunosuppression, renal insufficiency, urinary tract abnormalities, or history of urologic procedures were excluded.

EXPOSURES

Antibiotic treatment for uncomplicated UTIs. Only antibiotics received within 1 day after the diagnosis were analyzed. The IDSA recommends the following antibiotics as first-line therapy: nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, fosfomycin, pivmecillinam.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The IDSA guideline concordance rates were calculated as the number of patients receiving first-line antibiotic therapy divided by the total number of cases for uncomplicated UTIs.

RESULTS

A total of 46 793 adult women (67.3% [31 475 of 46 793] aged 18-34 years; 38.2% [31 475 of 46 793] of White race) were diagnosed with uncomplicated UTIs with 91.0% receiving guideline-concordant antibiotic treatment. In comparison with obstetrics and gynecology, IDSA guideline-concordant treatment was more likely in internal medicine (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.87; 95% CI, 2.73-3.03), family medicine (aOR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.76-1.87), surgery (aOR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.36-1.67), and emergency medicine (aOR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.32-1.39) and less likely in urology (aOR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.38-0.43). Compared with direct military care, private sector care had lower concordance rates (aOR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.62-0.64).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this cross-sectional study of antibiotic treatments for uncomplicated UTIs in a universally insured population, the IDSA guideline-concordance rate was high at 91.0% with higher rates in direct military care compared with private sector care. There were higher rates in general medical specialties, surgery, and emergency medicine and lower rates in urology and obstetrics and gynecology. These results further enhance the literature on current antibiotic prescribing practices for uncomplicated UTIs in adult women.

Current utilization patterns for long-acting insulin analogues including biosimilars among selected Asian countries and the implications for the future

INTRODUCTION

Prevalence rates for diabetes mellitus continue to rise, which, coupled with increasing costs of complications, has appreciably increased expenditure in recent years. Poor glycaemic control including hypoglycaemia enhances complication rates and associated morbidity, mortality and costs. Consequently, this needs to be addressed. Whilst the majority of patients with diabetes have type-2 diabetes, a considerable number of patients with diabetes require insulin to help control their diabetes. Long-acting insulin analogues were developed to reduce hypoglycaemia associated with insulin and help improve adherence, which can be a concern. However, their considerably higher costs have impacted on their funding and use, especially in countries with affordability issues. Biosimilars can help reduce the costs of long-acting insulin analogues thereby increasing available choices. However, the availability and use of long-acting insulin analogues can be affected by limited price reductions versus originators and limited demand-side initiatives to encourage their use. Consequently, we wanted to assess current utilisation rates for long-acting insulin analogues, especially biosimilars, and the rationale for patterns seen, across multiple Asian countries ranging from Japan (high-income) to Pakistan (lower-income) to inform future strategies.

METHODOLOGY

Multiple approaches including assessing utilization and prices of insulins including biosimilars among six Asian countries and comparing the findings especially with other middle-income countries.

RESULTS

Typically, there was increasing use of long-acting insulin analogues among the selected Asian countries. This was especially the case enhanced by biosimilars in Bangladesh, India, and Malaysia reflecting their perceived benefits. However, there was limited use in Pakistan due to issues of affordability similar to a number of African countries. The high use of biosimilars in Bangladesh, India and Malaysia was helped by issues of affordability and local production. The limited use of biosimilars in Japan and Korea reflects limited price reductions and demand-side initiatives similar to a number of European countries.

CONCLUSIONS

Increasing use of long-acting insulin analogues across countries is welcomed, adding to the range of insulins available, which increasingly includes biosimilars. A number of activities are needed to enhance the use of long-acting insulin analogue biosimilars in Japan, Korea and Pakistan.