ASSOCIATION BETWEEN USE OF SPERMICIDE-COATED CONDOMS AND ESCHERICHIA-COLI URINARY-TRACT INFECTION IN YOUNG-WOMEN

Diaphragm/spermicide use increases the risk of urinary tract infection (UTI), To determine whether spermicide-coated condoms are also associ ated with an increased risk of UTI, the authors conducted a case-contr ol study at a large health maintenance organization in Seattle, Washin gton, Cases were sexually active young women with acute UTI caused by Escherichia coli, identified from computerized laboratory files during 1990-1993. Age-matched controls were randomly selected from the enrol lment files of the plan, Of 1,904 eligible women, 604 cases and 629 co ntrols (65%) were interviewed, During the previous year, 40% of the ca ses and 31% of the controls had been exposed to any type of condom, Th e unadjusted odds ratio for UTI increased with frequency of condom exp osure from 0.91 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65-1.28) for weekly or less during the previous month to 2.11 (95% CI 1.37-3.26) for more th an once weekly, Exposure to spermicide-coated condoms conferred a high er risk of UTI, with odds ratios ranging from 1.09 (95% CI 0.58-2.05) for use weekly or less to 3.05 (95% Ci 1.47-6.35) for use more than on ce weekly, In multivariate analyses, intercourse frequency (odds ratio (OR) = 1,14 per weekly episode), history of UTI (OR = 2.64), and freq uency of spermicide-coated condom exposure (OR = 3.34 for more than on ce weekly and 5.65 for use more than twice weekly) were independent pr edictors of UTI. Spermicide-coated condoms were responsible for 42% of the UTIs among women who were exposed to these products.