Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38848404›Full record

ArticlePloS one2024

Diagnosis of urinary tract infections in the hospitalized older adult population in Alberta.

Samantha Lui, Frances Carr, William Gibson

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Samantha LuiFaculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-1849-813X
Frances CarrDivision of Geriatric Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
William GibsonDivision of Geriatric Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-3481-6484

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUrinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infections reported in older adults, across all settings. Although a diagnosis of a UTI requires specific clinical and microbiological criteria, many older adults are diagnosed with a UTI without meeting the diagnostic criteria, resulting in unnecessary antibiotic treatment and their potential side effects, and a failure to find the true cause of their presentation to hospital.

objectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of UTI diagnoses amongst hospitalized older adults based on clinical and microbiological findings, and their corresponding antibiotic treatment (including complications), in addition to identifying possible factors associated with a confirmed UTI diagnosis.

methodsA single-center retrospective cross-sectional study of older adult patients (n = 238) hospitalized at the University of Alberta Hospital with an admission diagnosis of UTI over a one-year period was performed.

results44.6% (n = 106) of patients had a diagnosis of UTI which was supported by documents clinical and microbiological findings while 43.3% (n = 103) of patients had bacteriuria without documented symptoms. 54.2% (n = 129) of all patients were treated with antibiotics, despite not having evidence to support a diagnosis of a UTI, with 15.9% (n = 37) of those patients experiencing complications including diarrhea, Clostridioides difficile infection, and thrush. History of major neurocognitive disorder was significantly associated with diagnosis of UTI (p = 0.003).

conclusionUTIs are commonly misdiagnosed in hospitalized older adults by healthcare providers, resulting in the majority of such patients receiving unnecessary antibiotics, increasing the risk of complications. These findings will allow for initiatives to educate clinicians on the importance of UTI diagnosis in an older adult population and appropriately prescribing antibiotics to prevent unwanted complications.

Indexed as

Anti-Bacterial AgentsHospitalizationUrinary Tract InfectionsAgedAged, 80 and overAlbertaBacteriuriaCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleRetrospective StudiesAnti-Bacterial Agents

Identifiers

PMID38848404
PMCPMC11161040

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.