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Cranberry juice for the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections: a randomized controlled trial in children

Pietro Ferrara1, Luciana Romaniello, Ottavio Vitelli

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Catholic University, A. Gemelli Hospital, Rome, Italy. pferrara@rm.unicatt.it

Scandinavian Journal of Urology and Nephrology
|November 20, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Daily cranberry juice significantly reduced recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) in children. Lactobacillus showed less effectiveness compared to cranberry juice in preventing UTIs.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Nutrition

Background:

  • Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common pediatric concern.
  • Preventive strategies for UTIs in children are crucial to reduce morbidity.
  • Current options include antibiotics and probiotics, with varying efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the efficacy of daily cranberry juice versus Lactobacillus supplementation in preventing recurrent UTIs in children.
  • To evaluate the effectiveness of cranberry juice and Lactobacillus GG as prophylactic measures against pediatric UTIs.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial involving 84 girls aged 3-14 years.
  • Three arms: daily cranberry juice (n=28), Lactobacillus GG drink (n=27), and control (n=29) for 6 months.
  • UTI episodes were monitored across all treatment groups.

Main Results:

  • Cranberry juice group (G1) had significantly fewer UTI episodes (18.5%) compared to Lactobacillus (G2, 42.3%) and control (G3, 48.1%) (p<0.05).
  • Low withdrawal rates across all groups, primarily due to compliance issues.
  • A statistically significant reduction in symptomatic UTIs was observed with daily cranberry juice intake.

Conclusions:

  • Daily cranberry juice consumption is an effective strategy for preventing recurrent symptomatic UTIs in children.
  • Cranberry juice demonstrates superior efficacy over Lactobacillus GG in this pediatric cohort.
  • Further research may explore optimal dosages and long-term effects.
Abstract

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