A significant percentage of patients with transrectal biopsy-related infections have positive blood cultures but negative urine cultures. A literature review and meta-analysis

Positive urine culture prior to transrectal prostate biopsy was not associated with infectious complications development

OBJECTIVE

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Its histological diagnosis is based on prostate biopsy. The transrectal procedure is one of the most common procedures performed by urologists. Although it is considered safe, post-biopsy infectious complications are frequently observed in practice. The aim of this study is to investigate the value of urine culture before the transrectal biopsy. Secondly, we assessed potential risk factors for infectious complications following TR-PB.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent urine culture tests before transrectal prostate biopsy between January 2019 and July 2020. The inclusion criteria for the study were all indications for prostate biopsy (PSA>4ng/mL or abnormal digital rectal examination). Baseline characteristics and the incidence of post-biopsy urinary tract infection were compared between patients showing positive pre-biopsy culture results and those showing negative findings. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine risk factors for infectious complications following TR-PB.

RESULTS

Out of 163 patients included in our study, 19 patients (11.65%) had positive urine culture results before the biopsy. Age (P=0.068); history of hospitalization (P>0.999), history previous of quinolone use (P=0.75), history of UTI (P=0.64); median PSA level at diagnosis (P=0.267); prostate volume (P=0.78); post-void residual volume (P=0.374); percentage of patients testing positive for cancer on biopsy (P=0.81); and percentages of patients with a history of biopsy (P=0.889), diabetes mellitus (P=0.524), hypertension (P=0.714) and immunosuppressive medication use (P>0.999) were similar between the two groups. One patient in the positive urine culture group had post-biopsy prostatitis. However, 3.24% (five patients) of the negative urine culture group had the disease (P=0.789) (four patients with prostatitis and one with epididymitis). Among them, four patients were diagnosed by urine culture at the time of post-biopsy urinary tract infection. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that history of hospitalization and history of previous quinolone use were risk factors for infection after transrectal prostate biopsy.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that systematically performing urine cultures before transrectal prostate biopsy does not reduce the rate of infectious complications after biopsy. Positive pre-biopsy cultures were not associated with the development of post-biopsy infectious complications.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3

[Short recommendations from the CIAFU: Interest of the urine bacterial culture performed before endo-rectal prostate biopsy]

Prostate biopsy is sometimes complicated by infection which can lead to death. The risk factors remain controversial, notably the urine bacterial culture carried out before a prostate biopsy. The increase in resistance induces an increase in the number of complications and the need to define new antibiotic prophylaxis strategies. The urine bacterial culture remains widely discussed in cases with post-prostate biopsy infections and urologists or experts await clear recommendations on this subject. The Infectiology Committee of the French Association of Urology has therefore set up a literature analysis work in order to reach a consensus within the committee.

METHOD

A literature search was performed on Pubmed and Medline. We selected randomized studies or meta-analyzes using the keywords "prostate biopsy" and "infection" or "infectious complications". All abstracts and articles have been analyzed. The summary of the analysis was reviewed by all the members of the committee proposing the most consensual recommendation possible.

RESULTS

The literature on the subject remains poor, but no evidence of a link between prebiopsy bacteriuria and post-biopsy infection has been demonstrated.

CONCLUSIONS

Apart from a clinical situation which could evoke a male urinary tract infection, and moreover having to prefer the postponement of biopsies, it is not recommended to perform a routine urine culture before endo-rectal prostate biopsies (expert opinion).

Infectious complications of prostate biopsy: winning battles but not war

BACKGROUND

Prostate biopsy is a standard tool for diagnosing prostate cancer, with more than 4 million procedures performed worldwide each year. Infectious complications and economic burden are reportedly rising with continued use of trans-rectal ultrasound-guided biopsy, despite the transperineal approach being associated with less infectious complications.

OBJECTIVE AND METHODS

In this review, the contemporary literature on pathophysiology, epidemiology, risk factors, causative organisms and emerging approaches for prevention of infectious complications are outlined.

RESULTS

Management of infectious complications after TRUSB has caused significant financial burden on health systems. The most frequent causative agents of infectious complications after prostate biopsy are Gram-negative bacilli are particularly concerning in the era of antibiotic resistance. Increasing resistance to fluoroquinolones and beta-lactam antibiotics has complicated traditional preventive measures. Patient- and procedure-related risk factors, reported by individual studies, can contribute to infectious complications after prostate biopsy.

CONCLUSIONS

Recent literature shows that the transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy results in higher infectious complication rate than the transperineal prostate biopsy. NAATs, recently introduced technique to detect FQr may detect all antibiotic-resistant rectal microbiota members-included MDRs-although the technique still has limitations and economical burdens. Transient solutions are escalating antibiotic prophylaxis and widening the indications for TPB.