E. coli Resistance to Ciprofloxacin and Common Associated Factors

To determine the frequency of E. coli resistance to ciprofloxacin and common factors leading to it among patients presenting with urinary tract infection.

Descriptive cross-sectional study.

Department of Medicine, Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad, from December 2011 to June 2012.

A total of 166 patients, > 18 years of age of both gender, who presented with features of UTI and had urine culture positive for E.coli were included in the study. The urine samples were further tested for ciprofloxacin resistance and the patients were further checked for the common factors leading to E.coli resistance to ciprofloxacin.

Among 166 patients, 41 were male and 125 were female patients. Sixty-six (39.8%) E. coli isolates showed ciprofloxacin resistance. Male gender (p-value 0.001), previous history of recurrent UTI (p = 0.008, OR = 2.37), history of prior use of ciprofloxacin (p = 0.018, OR = 2.16) and history of catheterization (p = 0.005, OR = 4.80) were independent risk factors found in this study for the development of ciprofloxacin resistant UTIs.

Ciprofloxacin resistance rates of E.coli were high at over 39.8%. The risk factors that affected the ciprofloxacin resistance rates of E.coli were prior use of ciprofloxacin, recurrent UTI, previous catheterization and male gender. Ciprofloxacin should be prescribed cautiously in patients with these risk factors and urine culture and sensitivity test should be performed for optimal treatment.