Urinary tract infection prophylaxis in children with neurogenic bladder with cranberry capsules: randomized...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Urology
• Nephrology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Neurogenic bladder in children with myelomeningocele often leads to recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs).
• Standard management includes clean intermittent catheterization and anticholinergic drugs, but UTIs remain a challenge.
• Exploring natural preventative agents like cranberry extract is of clinical interest.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of cranberry capsules in preventing UTIs in pediatric patients with neurogenic bladder secondary to myelomeningocele.
• To assess the impact of cranberry supplementation on infection rates and pyuria.
• To determine the safety and tolerability of cranberry capsules in this cohort.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, placebo-controlled, prospective study design.
• Participants received 6 months of placebo followed by 6 months of cranberry extract capsules (1 capsule/day) after a 1-week washout.
• Infection rate and pyuria were the primary outcome measures, analyzed using the Wilcoxon test.

Main Results:

• The study included 20 children (mean age 7.25 years) with neurogenic bladder.
• A significant decrease in the median UTI rate was observed, from 0.5/year during placebo to 0/year during cranberry use (P = 0.012).
• Pyuria also significantly decreased with cranberry capsule intervention (P = 0.000), with no adverse events reported.

Conclusions:

• Cranberry capsules represent a potentially effective and safe option for the prevention of recurrent UTIs in children with myelomeningocele-associated neurogenic bladder.
• The findings support the consideration of cranberry supplementation as an adjunct therapy.
• Further research may elucidate the optimal dosage and long-term efficacy.