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URINARY TRACT INFECTION: TREATMENT |
147 |
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Table 5.4 Recommendations for antimicrobial therapy |
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Infection |
Bacteria |
Initial empirical |
Duration |
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drug |
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Acute, |
E. coli, Klebsiella, |
Trimethoprim/ |
3 days |
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uncomplicated |
Proteus, |
co-trimoxazole |
3 days |
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cystitis |
Staphylococcus |
quinolone |
7 days |
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(ciprofloxacin) |
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or |
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**Nitrofurantoin |
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(not for Proteus) |
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Acute, |
E. coli, Proteus, |
Ciprofloxacin |
7–10 days |
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uncomplicated |
Klebsiella, other |
Cephalosporin |
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pyelonephritis |
Enterobacter, |
or |
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Staphylococcus |
Aminopenicillin |
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(ampicillin) with |
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Aminoglycoside |
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(gentamicin) |
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Complicated |
E. coli, |
Ciprofloxacin |
Continue for |
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UTI |
Enterococcus |
Aminopenicillin |
3–5 days after |
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Nosocomial |
Staphylococcus, |
Cephalosporin |
elimination |
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of underlying |
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(hospital |
Klebsiella, |
Aminoglycoside |
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factor |
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acquired) UTI |
Proteus |
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Acute |
Enterobacter, |
For Candida: |
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complicated |
Pseudomonas, |
Fluconazole |
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pyelonephritis |
Candida |
Amphotericin B |
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These are general recommendations only; therapy should be guided by local microbiology bacterial sensitivities and resistance and specific culture and sensitivities. **Avoid nitrofurantoin in the elderly because of the potential for renal impairment.
Further reading
Rubenstein J, et al. (2003). Managing complicated urinary tract infections. The urologic review. Infect Dis Clin N Am 17:333–351.
148 CHAPTER 5 Infections and inflammatory conditions
A clinical diagnosis is based on the presence of fever, flank pain, and tenderness, often with an elevated white count. It may affect one or both kidneys. There are usually accompanying symptoms suggestive of a lower UTI (frequency, urgency, suprapubic pain, urethral burning or pain on voiding) responsible for the ascending infection that resulted in the subsequent acute pyelonephritis. Nausea and vomiting are common.
Differential diagnosis
This includes cholecystitis, pancreatitis, diverticulitis, and appendicitis.
Risk factors
These include vesicoureteric reflux (VUR), urinary tract obstruction, calculi, spinal cord injury (neuropathic bladder), diabetes mellitus, congenital malformation, pregnancy, and indwelling catheters.
Pathogenesis and microbiology
Initially, there is patchy infiltration of neutrophils and bacteria in the parenchyma. Later changes include the formation of inflammatory bands extending from renal papilla to cortex, and small cortical abscesses. 80% of infections are secondary to E. coli (possessing P pili virulence factors). Other infecting organisms include enterococci (Streptococcus faecalis),
Klebsiella, Proteus, and Pseudomonas.
Urine culture will be positive for bacterial growth, but the bacterial count may not necessarily be >105 CFU/mL of urine Thus, if you suspect a case of acute pyelonephritis based on symptoms, but there are <105 CFU/ mL of urine, manage the case as acute pyelonephritis.
Investigation and treatment
For those patients who have a fever but are not systemically ill, outpatient management is reasonable. Culture the urine and start oral antibiotics according to your local antibiotic policy (which will be based on the likely infecting organisms and their likely antibiotic sensitivity). Common primary oral agents include the following:
•Fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin 500 mg PO bid, or levofloxacin 750 mg PO qd) empiric treatment
•Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ) alternative
Therapy should be continued for 10–14 days and milder cases may be treated for 7 days. Recent studies suggest an increase in quinolone resistance as well as susceptibility to TMP-SMZ.
If the patient is systemically ill, obtain culture urine and blood and start IV fluids and IV antibiotics, selecting the antibiotic according to your local antibiotic policy. Treat patient until afebrile for 24 hours, then switch to oral agents based on sensitivities as above for a total of 14 days of antibiotic therapy. Empiric choices include the following:
•Ampicillin (2 g IV q6h) and gentamicin (1.5 mg/kg IV q8h or 3 mg/kg daily dosing)
•Ceftriaxone (1 g IV qd)
•Intravenous fluoroquinolones (e.g., ciprofloxin 200–400 mg IV q12h)
•Aztreonam (2 g IV q8h)
ACUTE PYELONEPHRITIS 149
Arrange a KUB radiograph and renal ultrasound to see if there is an underlying upper tract abnormality, unexplained hydronephrosis, or (rarely) gas surrounding the kidney (suggesting emphysematous pyelonephritis). Some centers will use a CT urogram as the first screening tool. However, if the patient does not respond within 3 days to this regimen of IV antibiotics (confirmed on sensitivities), a CT urogram is essential.
The lack of response to treatment suggests the possibility of a pyonephrosis (i.e., pus in the kidney, which, like any abscess, will only respond to drainage), a perinephric abscess (which again will only respond to drainage), or emphysematous pyelonephritis.
The CT may demonstrate an obstructing calculus that may have been missed on the KUB X-ray, and ultrasound may show a perinephric abscess.
A pyonephrosis should be drained by insertion of a percutaneous nephrostomy tube. A perinephric abscess should also be drained by insertion of a drain percutaneously.
Further reading
Drekonja DM, Johnson JR (2008). Urinary tract infections. Prim Care 35(2):345–367.
Wagenlehner FM, Pilatz A, Naber KG, Perletti G, Wagenlehner CM, Weidner W (2008). Antiinfective treatment of bacterial urinary tract infections. Curr Med Chem 15(14):1412–1427.
150 CHAPTER 5 Infections and inflammatory conditions
Pyonephrosis
Pyonephrosis is an infected hydronephrosis. Pus accumulates within the renal pelvis and calyces. The causes are essentially those of hydronephrosis, where infection has supervened (e.g., ureteric obstruction by stone,
URETEROPELVIC JUNCTION OBSTRUCTION).
Patients with pyonephrosis are usually very ill, with a high fever, flank pain, and tenderness. Patients with this combination of symptoms and signs will usually be investigated urgently by a renal ultrasound or CT urogram, where the diagnosis of a pyonephrosis is usually obvious.
Treatment consists of IV antibiotics as for acute pyelonephritis, IV fluids, and percutaneous nephrostomy insertion for drainage.
Perinephric abscess
Perinephric abscess develops as a consequence of extension of infection outside the parenchyma of the kidney in acute pyelonephritis or, more rarely today, from hematogenous spread of infection from a distant site. The abscess develops within Gerota (perinephric) fascia. These patients are often diabetic, and associated conditions such as an obstructing ureteric calculus may be the precipitating event leading to development of the abscess.
Failure of a seemingly straightforward case of acute pyelonephritis to respond to IV antibiotics within a few days arouses suspicion that there is an accumulation of pus in or around the kidney or obstruction with infection.
Imaging studies will establish the diagnosis and allow radiographically controlled percutaneous drainage of the abscess. If the pus collection is large, formal open surgical drainage under general anesthetic will provide more effective drainage.
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