Evaluating the Necessity of Antibiotics in the Treatment of Acute Epididymitis in Pediatric Patients: A Literature Review of Retrospective Studies and Data Analysis

Assessing the Utility of Ultrasound and Urinalysis for Patients with Possible Epididymo-Orchitis - A Retrospective Study

Purpose

Many experts recommend ordering an ultrasound and a urinalysis on all patients with scrotal pain. While the ultrasound may help diagnose a number of potential causes of scrotal pain, the urinalysis primarily has value in assessing for epididymo-orchitis. This study sought to evaluate the utility of these diagnostic tests for patients who presented to the emergency department (ED) with acute scrotal pain and possible epididymo-orchitis.

Patients and Methods

This was a single-center chart review of patients presenting to the ED with scrotal pain. Trained research assistants reviewed charts to obtain urinalysis and ultrasound results as well as diagnoses and treatments provided. Using the final diagnosis as a gold standard, the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound and urinalysis were calculated for the diagnosis of epididymo-orchitis. Also, through a prespecified definition of “changed management,” we estimated the percentage of cases in which a urinalysis changed management of patients with acute scrotal pain.

Results

We identified 663 adult and pediatric patients who presented with scrotal pain during 2016. All patients had an ultrasound performed, and 458 (69.1%) had a urinalysis done. The sensitivity of urinalysis for epididymo-orchitis was 58.2% (95% CI 48.9% to 67.1%), and the specificity was 85.1% (95% CI 80.8% to 88.7%). For ultrasound, the sensitivity was 78.8% (95% CI 71.4% to 85.0%) and the specificity was 98.1% (95% CI 96.4% to 99.1%). In 24 of 458 cases (5.2% [95% CI 3.4% to 7.7%]) where a urinalysis was obtained, its results may have changed management of the patient.

Conclusion

The diagnosis of patients who present to the ED with scrotal pain is primarily driven by the ultrasound results. While the urinalysis may occasionally provide some benefit in the evaluation of patients with suspected epididymo-orchitis, the reflexive ordering of a urinalysis in patients with scrotal pain may be unnecessary.

Different managements for prepubertal epididymitis based on a preexisting genitourinary anomaly diagnosis

There is no clear consensus regarding investigating for accompanying genitourinary anomalies (GUAs) in patients with prepubertal acute epididymitis (AE). Moreover, risk factors for the recurrence and the need for a surgical intervention have never been discussed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the different clinical courses of prepubertal AE based on knowledge of preexisting GUAs. Between January 2005 and December 2014, AE was diagnosed in 189 pediatric patients <10 years old. Clinical characteristics and treatments were retrospectively analyzed. The median age at first AE was 64.3 months. A GUA was detected prior to the development of AE in 49 patients (known GUA group) including 34 with hypospadias. Among the other 140 patients (unknown GUA status group), six patients were diagnosed with a GUA after the first AE episode. In the known GUA group, 35 patients (71.4%) experienced recurrence and the only risk factor associated with recurrence was the presence of cystic dilated prostatic utricle (p = 0.013). In the unknown GUA status group, the risk factors for an existing GUA were being <1-year-old (p<0.001) and positive urine culture (p = 0.015). Only nine patients (6.4%) in this group experienced recurrence. Vasectomy was recommended for patients with recurrent AE with an accompanying GUA and performed in 19 patients (10.1%). Most GUAs are diagnosed prior to AE development. Clinicians should consider different treatment approaches based on whether the AE patient has been diagnosed with a GUA previously, because the clinical characteristics and the recurrence rate are significantly different.