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The burden of comorbidity is associated with symptomatic polymicrobial urinary tract infection among

Alice Laudisio1, Felice Marinosci2, Davide Fontana3

  • 1Department of Geriatrics, Campus Bio-Medico University, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128, Rome, Italy. lavoralice@gmail.com.

Aging Clinical and Experimental Research
|April 29, 2015
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Polymicrobial urinary tract infections (p-UTIs) in nursing home residents are linked to a higher comorbidity burden. Screening elderly patients with comorbidities for p-UTIs is recommended.

Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Internal Medicine

Background:

  • Polymicrobial urinary tract infections (p-UTIs) are common in nursing home patients, leading to adverse outcomes and increased healthcare costs.
  • While microbiological aspects of p-UTIs are studied, host characteristics, particularly comorbidity, remain underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the extent to which comorbidity characterizes elderly nursing home patients diagnosed with p-UTIs.
  • To investigate the association between the Charlson comorbidity score and the presence of p-UTIs in this population.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 299 patients with culture-positive UTI in an Italian nursing home was analyzed.
  • Polymicrobial UTI (p-UTI) was defined by the simultaneous isolation of two uropathogens.
  • Comorbidity burden was quantified using the Charlson comorbidity score, with logistic regression used for analysis.

Main Results:

  • Polymicrobial UTIs (p-UTIs) were identified in 39% of the patients (118/299).
  • Logistic regression revealed an independent association between p-UTIs and the Charlson comorbidity index (OR 1.70; P = .026).
  • This association persisted even after excluding patients without urinary catheters (OR 1.88; P = .015).

Conclusions:

  • The presence of p-UTIs in nursing home residents is significantly associated with the overall burden of comorbidity.
  • This association appears independent of individual diseases, highlighting the importance of the cumulative comorbidity score.
  • Older nursing home patients with existing comorbidities should be screened for p-UTIs, and further research is needed on early detection and treatment impacts.
Keywords:
ComorbidityElderlyEpidemiologyNursing homeUrinary infection

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