Long-term prophylaxis with methenamine hippurate in girls with recurrent urinary tract infections

Twenty girls, aged 5-12 years, with recurrent urinary tract infections, were treated with methenamine hippurate, Hiprex, for a period of 12 months. The number of infections per patient per year was reduced from 3.1 to 0.7 (p less than 0.001). After prophylaxis was stopped this number increased to 1.4 which is a significantly higher incidence than occurred during treatment (p less than 0.05). A few girls complained of the taste but no side-effects were observed. Methenamine hippurate is a useful alternative in long-term prophylaxis against recurrent urinary tract infections in girls.