Journal Article

Improving Patient Outcomes While Reducing Empirical Treatment with Multiplex-Polymerase-Chain-Reaction/Pooled-Antibiotic-Susceptibility-Testing Assay for Complicated and Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

Mathur, Mohit, Wang, Dakun, Zhao, Xinhua, Haley, Emery, Luke, Natalie, Korman, Howard, Baunoch, David

2023

Overview

This study compared rates of empirical-therapy use and negative patient outcomes between complicated and recurrent urinary tract infection (r/cUTI) cases diagnosed with a multiplex polymerase chain reaction or pooled antibiotic susceptibility testing (M-PCR/P-AST) vs. standard urine culture (SUC). Subjects were 577 symptomatic adults (n = 207 males and n = 370 females) presenting to urology/urogynecology clinics between 03/30/2022 and 05/24/2023. Treatment and outcomes were recorded by the clinician and patient surveys. The M-PCR/P-AST (n = 252) and SUC (n = 146) arms were compared after patient matching for confounding factors. The chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were used to analyze demographics and clinical outcomes between study arms. Reduced empirical-treatment use (28.7% vs. 66.7%), lower composite negative events (34.5% vs. 46.6%, p = 0.018), and fewer individual negative outcomes of UTI-related medical provider visits and UTI-related visits for hospitalization/an urgent care center/an emergency room (p < 0.05) were observed in the M-PCR/P-AST arm compared with the SUC arm. A reduction in UTI symptom recurrence in patients ≥ 60 years old was observed in the M-PCR/P-AST arm (p < 0.05). Study results indicate that use of the M-PCR/P-AST test reduces empirical antibiotic treatment and negative patient outcomes in r/cUTI cases.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Antibiotics / Antimicrobial agents / Bacteria / Clinical outcomes / Comparative analysis / complicated UTI (cUTI) / Diagnostic tests / Diseases / Drug resistance / Health care / Health surveys / multiplex polymerase chain reaction (M-PCR) / Observational studies / Patient outcomes / Patient satisfaction / Patients / pooled antibiotic susceptibility testing (P-AST) / recurrent UTI (rUTI) / Relapse / standard urine culture (SUC) / Urinary tract diseases / urinary tract infection (UTI) / Urinary tract infections / Urine / Urogenital system