Trends in Urinary Tract Infection Management in Women
Abstract
The rise in virtual care for urinary tract infections warrants consideration for improved antibiotic stewardship to balance access to care and reduce antibiotic overuse. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common cause of health care utilization in the United States. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic accelerated virtual care for UTIs. This retrospective cohort study analyzes more than 1.2 million encounters for UTI based on diagnosis codes, examining temporal trends focusing on virtual compared with in-person encounters, antibiotic dispensation rates, and culture-confirmed UTIs. From 2015 to 2022, UTI encounters increased by 325.9%, with a majority occurring at virtual visits. The rate of UTI encounters per 1,000 adult female patients increased by 241.6%. Antibiotic dispensation rates increased, surpassing the rise in rate of positive urine cultures, suggesting increasing use of empiric antibiotics. Our findings underscore the importance of balancing telemedicine's accessibility with maintaining antibiotic stewardship and highlight the need for updated guidelines.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a cohort study, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 1,000 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Association of lower urinary tract symptoms and OAB severity with quality of life and mental health in China, Taiwan and South Korea: results from a cross-sectional, population-based study
- Ten-Day Quadruple Therapy Comprising Low-Dose Rabeprazole, Bismuth, Amoxicillin, and Tetracycline Is an Effective and Safe First-Line Treatment for Helicobacter pylori Infection in a Population with High Antibiotic Resistance: a Prospective, Multicenter, Randomized, Parallel-Controlled Clinical Trial in China
- The Role of the NLR and PLR in Urinary Tract Infection
- Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance among Pilgrims with Infectious Diseases during Hajj: Lessons Learnt from COVID-19 Pandemic
- Leclercia adecarboxylata urinary tract infection in a patient with bladder cancer and recurrent hematuria
- A Case Series of Staphylococcus lugdunensis Infection in Cancer Patients at an Academic Cancer Institute in the United States
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.