Take home point: Among older women residing in nursing homes, administration of cranberry capsules, compared with placebo, resulted in no significant difference in presence of bacteriuria plus pyuria over 1 year (1)
Cranberry products have been shown to prevent adherence of P-fimbriated E. coli to uroepithelial cells. Not all UTIs are E. coli.
No statistically significant difference between Cranberry group and Placebo group (2).
UTI Facts
- Bacteriuria is prevalent in 25-50% of female nursing home residents and pyuria is present in 90% of those with bacteriuria (1)
- Bacteriuria is prevalent in 25-50% of female nursing home residents and pyuria is present in 90% of those with bacteriuria (3).
- A randomized trial of antibiotic treatment versus no treatment of bacteriuria in nursing home women showed no decrease in genitourinary morbidity or mortality with treatment (4).
- As many as 75% of prescriptions for UTI in LTCF residents are given to individuals who do not meet criteria for UTI (5).
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Resources
- Infectious Diseases in Older Adults of Long-term Care Facilities: Update on Approach to Diagnosis and Management – PMC (nih.gov)
- Effect of Cranberry Capsules on Bacteriuria Plus Pyuria among Older Women in Nursing Homes: A Randomized Clinical Trial – PMC (nih.gov)
- Tests for Urinary Tract Infection in Nursing Home Residents | Urology | JAMA | JAMA Network
- Prospective randomized comparison of therapy and no therapy for asymptomatic bacteriuria in institutionalized elderly women – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Challenges Assessing Nursing Home Residents with Advanced Dementia for Suspected Urinary Tract Infections – PMC (nih.gov)
- FDA Announces Qualified Health Claim for Certain Cranberry Products and Urinary Tract Infections | FDA