Low dosage treatment with propiono-hydroxamic acid in paraplegic patients

Severe urinary tract infections due to urease-producing bacteria are frequently associated with neurourologic pathologies and complicated by infected nephrolithiasis. Hydroxamic acids, acting as urease inhibitors, can effectively reduce lithiasic risk, normalizing the urinary environment, as well as enhancing the action of antibiotic treatments. A low dosage propiono-hydroxamic acid (PHA) treatment, 60 mg twice a day for 7 days and then 60 mg/day, was used in 15 patients affected with neurourologic pathologies for 3 months. Nine patients were stone-free and 6 stone-bearers. Urinary pH and ammonium decreased in both groups. Halving the PHA dose did not cause any variation in urinary pH or ammonium trends. In the stone-bearing group an increase in these parameters was correlated with urinary infection recurrences. Complete sterilization was achieved in 11 of 14 patients who completed the trial. In the stone-free group no patient had an infectious recurrence after the first month. Two patients in the stone-bearing group had repeated recurrences. One patient dropped out after 45 days due to a decrease in platelets. The efficacy of such low dose treatment makes even long-term or repeated therapies possible, as is often needed by neurourologic patients.