Mortality in relation to urinary characteristics in the very aged

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine
• Nephrology and Urology
• Public Health and Epidemiology

Background:

• Urinary characteristics are often assessed in health surveys of the elderly.
• The prognostic value of these findings, particularly in individuals aged 85 and above, requires further investigation.
• Previous studies have yielded conflicting results regarding the significance of bacteriuria in older populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between various urinary characteristics and 5-year mortality in individuals aged 85 years or more.
• To determine the prognostic significance of asymptomatic bacteriuria in this specific demographic.

Main Methods:

• A 5-year follow-up study was conducted on 561 individuals aged 85+ from an initial health survey.
• Urinary characteristics including hematuria, pyuria, albuminuria, acidity, bacterial staining, glucosuria, specific gravity, and bacterial culture were analyzed.
• Survival rates were compared based on the presence or absence of these urinary findings.

Main Results:

• Hematuria, pyuria, and albuminuria were significantly associated with increased 5-year mortality.
• Urinary acidity was linked to a lower mortality rate.
• Bacteriuria, identified via culture, showed no prognostic significance for survival, contrary to some prior observations.

Conclusions:

• Specific urinary findings like hematuria, pyuria, and albuminuria are valuable indicators of mortality risk in the very elderly.
• Asymptomatic bacteriuria in individuals aged 85 and above does not appear to influence survival.
• Medical intervention for asymptomatic bacteriuria in this population is likely unwarranted and does not contribute to reducing mortality.