UTI - Pathophysiology + Management Flashcards
Define uncomplicated (1) vs complicated UTI (5)
Uncomplicated
- cystitis in a healthy, premenopausal female (can treat post-menopausal women with no GU abnormalities)
Complicated UTI
- Pyelonephritis
- Male
- Pregnancy
- Child <12
- any structural or functional abnormalities in the GU tract
What is the more likely pathophysiology of UTI
Ascending infection
- UTI occurs when vaginal vestibule is colonized with colonic flora -> bacteria ascend urethra (causing cystitis) -> bacteria ascend ureter(s) to kidneys (causing pyelonephritis)
What are the defence mechanism of the GU tract (4)
- Length of Urethra in men
- Larger distance between rectum and urethral opening
- Forceful flushing through urination
- Lactobacillus colonization of vaginal vestibule
What are risk factors for UTI (5)
- Female
(Male risk is higher in <1 and 65+) - Sexual intercourse
- Use of spermicide/diaphragm (massages the urethra and makes it easier for bacteria to move upwards)
- Family/personal history of UTI
- Structural/functional abnormalities
What is defined as recurrent UTI (2)
2 episodes in 6 months
3 episodes in 1 year
What is the timeline where re-infection occurs?
Should return more than 2 weeks after therapy
What does it mean if symptoms come back less than 2 weeks after therapy and you relapse
Treatment failure, never treated the initial infection
What are clinical features of Cystitis
Common (3)
uncommon (2)
- Dysuria
- Urinary urgency
- Urinary frequency
May also experience
- hematuria
- Suprapubic pain or tenderness
What are clinical features of pyelonephritis
Common (3)
Uncommon (1)
- Fever, chills
- Nausea, vomiting
- Low back pain, flank pain, costovertebral angle tenderness
May also experience
- sx of cystitis
What is the costovertebral angle
The angle between the vertebrae and bottoms ribs, where the kidneys are located
What kind of symptoms is 90% indicative of cystitis
Females with dysuria and frequency WITHOUT vaginal symptoms
When would perform a urinalysis?
New incontinence
Gross hematuria (dark red blood in urine)
Urgency on it its own
When would you CONSIDER performing a urinalysis
In POSTmenopausal women with persistent urinary symptoms DESPITE adequate treatment, or have recurrences
What do urinalysis via dip sticks do a qualitative analysis of (3)
Which is the most common in UTI?
Hematuria
Leukocyte esterase
Nitrite
Most common: Microscopic hematuria
What does leukocyte esterase test for?
What do the results indicate?
Test for pus in urine (pyuria)
Non-specific for inflammation
It is present in all uncomplicated UTI
- low risk of false negative
- therefore a negative is more useful than a positive
- can have false positives
What does testing for nitrites identify for?
What do the results indicate in which type of bacteria is present?
Identifies nitrates formed by bacterial reduction of urinary nitrates
- indicates presence of Enterobacterales
Why are false negatives possible with nitrites? (2)
- Requires enough bacteria and contact time (4hrs)
- Not all bacteria are capable of nitrite redduction (gram pos eg. Enterococcus, saprophyticus)
What does the urinalysis nitrite test not differentiate between?
From UTI and Asymptomatic bacteriuria
- only perform on symptomatic patients
What do urinalysis via microscopy do a quantitative analysis of? (2)
Leukocytes and bacteria
What does leukocytes via microscopy test for?
What does a negative result suggest?
Pyuria = 10+ HPF
A negative result suggests alternate diagnosis
- NOT uncomplicated UTI
What is bacteria via microscopy presented as?
What does it indicate?
Presented as 1+ to 4+ (3+/4+) is high
Indicates quantity, not # of species
Is culture and susceptibility quantitative or qualitative?
Is it required for uUTI?
Quantitative
No
What is culture and susceptibility indicated for? (5)
- Recurrent UTI
- suspected pyelonephritis
- Patients at risk for infection with resistant pathogen
- Symptoms return within 2-4 weeks of effective therapy (elapse)
- symptoms not improved despite 48-72 hrs of antimicrobial
Which method of urine sampling is the lowest risk for contamination?
Suprapubic Aspiration