[Macrohematuria as the leading symptom in geriatric urology patients]

Macrohematuria is a frequent reason for hospitalization of elderly urologic patients. Anticoagulants and long-term catheterization often play a role and are characterized in the current paper.

In all, 162 patients hospitalized due to macrohematuria and older than 75 years were retrospectively observed concerning demographic data, clinical risk factors, potential reasons for macrohematuria and the necessary interventions.

The observed patients were on average 84.74 years old and had a medium score of 2.72 in the geriatric screening as "with geriatric need of action". A total of 65.4% had a Foley or suprapubic catheter. Initial measures included continuous bladder irrigation in 42.6% and catheter replacement in 39.5%. The amount of blood loss was 1.27 mg/dl hemoglobin. There was no significant difference in bacterial bladder infection in patients with or without a catheter (51.7 vs. 42.6%, p = 0.51). In all, 75.3% of the patients were under anticoagulation therapy; of these, 40.6% were undertreated with vitamin K antagonists, 28.1% overtreated and 31.2% were in the target range. Urologic workup diagnosed 25.3% of patients with tumors of the urinary bladder, the prostate or ureter.

A bladder catheter is a risk factor for more intensive macrohematuria. Contrary to expectations, overdosage was not the leading reason for hematuria for patients taking vitamin K antagonists. Even for elderly, geriatric patients under anticoagulation, the urologic diagnostic workup demonstrated a high percentage of significant malignancies. Diagnostic procedures should not be neglected even for these patients.