Pain intensity and imaging at the initial phase of acute pyelonephritis

Ultrasound for acute pyelonephritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

There is little consensus regarding the indications and utility of urinary tract imaging and type of imaging to perform in patients presenting with acute pyelonephritis (APN).

AIMS

The aims of this systematic review were to, among patients with APN, (i) identify the proportion of patients investigated with ultrasound (US), (ii) identify the proportion of abnormal US and (iii) identify the proportion of patients with a change in management resulting from abnormal US.

METHODS

A comprehensive search covered two electronic databases (Medline and EMBASE), with selection of studies performed independently by two investigators. Inclusion criteria were English language APN diagnosis and quantification of patients assessed with US or abnormal US results. Quality appraisal used the Newcastle-Ottawa instrument.

RESULTS

There were 35 studies included. The proportion of patients assessed with US was reported in 16 manuscripts and ranged from 20% to 94%, with significant heterogeneity and publication bias. The proportion of abnormal US was reported in 31 manuscripts and ranged from 7% to 79%. The proportion of abnormal US leading to change in management was reported in five studies and ranged from 7% to 59%. There was marked heterogeneity among studies included in all three subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with APN are commonly investigated with US, but only a small proportion have abnormalities and appear to be associated with changes in clinical management. The use of routine US for APN is therefore questioned. The identification of clinical variables for appropriate selection of patients to investigate with US requires further research.

Radiological Explorations of Patients with Upper or Febrile Urinary Tract Infection

Recent European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines and a clinical prediction rule developed by Van Nieuwkoop et al. suggest simple criteria for performing radiological imaging for patients with a febrile urinary tract infection (UTI). We analysed the records of patients with a UTI from four hospitals in Switzerland. Of 107 UTI patients, 58% underwent imaging and 69% (95%CI: 59-77%) and 64% (95%CI: 54-73%) of them were adequately managed according to Van Nieuwkoop's clinical rule and EAU guidelines, respectively. However, only 47% (95%CI: 33-61%) and 57% (95%CI: 44-69%) of the imaging performed would have been recommended according to their respective rules. Clinically significant imaging findings were associated with a history of urolithiasis (OR = 11.8; 95%CI: 3.0-46.5), gross haematuria (OR = 5.9; 95%CI: 1.6-22.1) and known urogenital anomalies (OR = 5.7; 95%CI: 1.8-18.2). Moreover, six of 16 (38%) patients with a clinically relevant abnormality displayed none of the criteria requiring imaging according to Van Nieuwkoop's rule or EAU guidelines. Thus, adherence to imaging guidelines was suboptimal, especially when imaging was not recommended. However, additional factors associated with clinically significant findings suggest the need for a new, efficient clinical prediction rule.

[Infectious emergencies in urology]

OBJECTIVE

To report the nature, diagnosis and therapeutic strategy of infectious emergencies in urology.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Bibliographic research from Pubmed, Embase, and Google scholar in July 2021. A synthesis of the guidelines of national infectious diseases societies.

RESULTS

Urosepsis and complicated urinary tract infection have a standardized definition. Diagnosis and therapeutic strategy are presented for upper tract urinary infection, male urinary infection, healthcare associated urinary infection, symptomatic canduria and urinary infections of the elderly. Appropriate antibiotherapy should be tailored to the degree of severity, bacterial ecosystem, patient characteristics et localization of the infection.

CONCLUSION

Urinary infections can be critical and require immediate care. Knowledge of the guidelines and of appropriate diagnosis and therapeutics strategy improve care which should be rapidly applied, and collegial.