Effect of antibiotic therapy on asymptomatic bacteriuria in kidney transplant recipients

Asymptomatic bacteriuria is a very common complication after kidney transplantation and the need for antibiotic therapy is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of antibiotic therapy on the clinical course of asymptomatic bacteriuria in renal transplant recipients.

In the present study, 88 kidney transplant recipients with asymptomatic bacteriuria were divided into two groups of cases and controls. The patients had been selected from among those with at least 1 year follow-up. In the case group, asymptomatic bacteriuric episodes were treated with antibiotics, and in control group, they were followed without antibiotic therapy. The follow-up period was 9 to 12 months. Bacteriuric episodes, symptomatic urinary tract infection (UTI) episodes, and changes in plasma creatinine level were recorded and compared between the two groups.

The rate of bacteriuric episodes and symptomatic UTIs were not significantly different between the two groups (P >0.05). In addition, level of plasma creatinine did not increase significantly in neither of the groups during the study (P >0.05).

It seems that treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria in kidney recipients does not decrease the rate of UTI episodes afterwards. Asymptomatic bacteriuria does not affect renal function in short term. Thus, we can abandon antibiotic therapy, subject to careful follow-up.