Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026
Recurrent Escherichia coli Urinary Tract Infection Triggered by Gardnerella vaginalis Bladder Exposure in Mice
Published on: December 4, 2020
Variation in definitions of urinary tract infections in spina bifida patients: a systematic review
Ramiro Jose Madden-Fuentes1, Erin Rebekah McNamara, Jessica Catherine Lloyd
1Division of Urologic Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
Insights
Urinary tract infection (UTI) definitions are inconsistently applied in spina bifida (SB) research. This variability limits the reliability of UTI outcome data in children with SB.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Urology
- Clinical Research Methodology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a significant cause of morbidity in children with spina bifida (SB).
- Accurate reporting of UTI outcomes is crucial for understanding and managing this patient population.
- However, diagnostic criteria for UTIs are often not explicitly stated in research studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the literature on spina bifida patients to determine the criteria authors use for defining and reporting urinary tract infection (UTI) outcomes.
- To assess the consistency and explicitness of UTI diagnostic criteria in published research involving children with SB.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted using Embase and Medline databases.
- Studies reporting UTI outcomes in spina bifida patients were identified and reviewed by two independent researchers.
- The presence of UTI definitions and specific diagnostic criteria was systematically evaluated.
Main Results:
- Of 124 included studies, only 45 (36.3%) provided a definition for UTI.
- A UTI definition was present in 39.3% of pediatric journal publications and 37.7% of urology journal publications.
- Commonly used criteria included fever, culture, and symptoms, but definitions were heterogeneous and inconsistently applied.
Conclusions:
- Explicit definitions for UTI are infrequently used in studies involving spina bifida patients.
- This heterogeneity limits the reliability of reported UTI rates and complicates comparisons across studies.
- The development and adoption of a standardized UTI definition are recommended for future research in this population.
Objective:
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common source of morbidity among children with spina bifida (SB) and are a frequently reported outcome in studies of this patient population. However, the criteria for a diagnosis of UTI are often not stated. We evaluated the literature on SB patients for the criteria that authors use to define parameters in reporting UTI outcomes.
Methods:
Embase and Medline were queried with the medical subject heading terms “spinal dysraphism,” “myelomeningocele,” “infection,”and “urinary tract infection.” A second search with the exploded term“spina bifida” and “urinary tract infection” was performed. Original research studies reporting a UTI outcome in SB patients were included and evaluated by 2 independent reviewers for the presence of a UTI definition and diagnostic criteria.
Results:
We identified 872 publications, of which 124 met inclusion criteria. Forty-five of 124 (36.3%) studies reporting UTI as an outcome provided a definition of UTI. Of 124 studies, 28 (22.6%) were published in pediatric journals and 69 (55.6%) in urology journals. A definition of UTI was provided in 11 (39.3%) and 26 (37.7%) studies, respectively. “Fever,culture, and symptoms” defined a UTI in 17 of 45 studies. Journal category and presence of UTI definitions did not correlate (P = .71).
Conclusions:
Explicit definitions for UTI are heterogeneous and infrequently applied in studies of SB patients, limiting study reliability and estimates of true UTI rates in this population. Future studies will benefit from the development and application of a standard definition for UTI in this population.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Urinary Tract Infection I: Introduction
01:25Urinary Tract Infection II: Pathophysiology
01:30Urinary Tract Infection III: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care
01:17Urinary Tract Infection IV: Nursing Management
01:26Urinary Tract Calculi II: Pathophysiology and Clinical Manifestations
01:26Urine Studies II: Urine Culture and Sensitivity Test