Urosepsis and the urologist!

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Infectious Diseases
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction due to a dysregulated host response to infection.
• Urosepsis accounts for up to 25% of all sepsis cases.
• Identifying urological causes like urolithiasis or abscesses is vital in urosepsis management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the significance of urological conditions and recent urological surgery in patients admitted with urosepsis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 2679 urine and 654 blood cultures from Connolly Hospital Emergency Department (2016-2018).
• Inclusion criteria: matching urine and blood cultures within 24 hours of admission.
• Analysis of 85 patients admitted with urosepsis.

Main Results:

• 11.8% of urosepsis patients had a pre-existing urological condition; bladder outlet obstruction (BPH) was most common.
• 18% had long-term indwelling catheters.
• Mortality was 4.7%; complications included prostatic and psoas abscesses, ileus, infected cyst, and emphysematous pyelonephritis.

Conclusions:

• The majority of urosepsis admissions were not linked to underlying urological conditions or recent instrumentation.
• Clinicians must remain vigilant for potential urosepsis complications.