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UTIs in Patients with Neurogenic Bladder

  • Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms & Voiding Dysfunction (H Goldman and G Badlani, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Urinary tract infections (UTI) remain one of the most prevalent and frustrating morbidities for neurogenic bladder patients, and death attributed to urosepsis in the spinal cord injury (SCI) patient is higher when compared to the general population. Risk factors include urinary stasis, high bladder pressures, bladder stones, and catheter use. While classic symptoms of UTI include dysuria, increased frequency and urgency, neurogenic bladder patients present differently with increased spasticity, autonomic dysreflexia, urinary incontinence, and vague pains. Multiple modalities have been assessed for prevention including catheter type, oral supplements, bladder irrigation, detrusor injections and prophylactic antimicrobials. Of these, bladder inoculation with E. coli HU2117, irrigation with iAluRil®, detrusor injections, and weekly prophylaxis with alternating antibiotics appear to have a positive reduction in UTI but require further study. Ultimately, treatment for symptomatic UTI should account for the varied flora and possible antibiotic resistances including relying on urine cultures to guide antibiotic therapy.

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Conflict of Interest

Dr. Mona S. Jahromi and Dr. Amanda Mure each declare no potential conflicts of interest.

Dr. Christopher S. Gomez has received honoraria from Springer.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Correspondence to Christopher S. Gomez.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms & Voiding Dysfunction

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Jahromi, M.S., Mure, A. & Gomez, C.S. UTIs in Patients with Neurogenic Bladder. Curr Urol Rep 15, 433 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11934-014-0433-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11934-014-0433-2

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