IS THERE ANY GERIATRIC CONSENSUS ABOUT UR INARY-TRACT INFECTION IN HOSPITALIZED ELDERLY PATIENTS

There is yet no real consensus about physician's practice concerning u rinary tract infections in the hospitalized elderly, The aim of our st udy was to list the geriatric physicians behaviour about this problem. A questionnaire was filled by the members of the association REGATES (Reseaux d'Etudes en Geriatrie des Activites Therapeutiques et de leur s Effets Secondaires). Items concerned clinical or para-clinical signs of low or high urinary tract infection, diagnostic set criteria and a lso the usual treatment. Clinical signs to ask for a cyto-bacteriologi cal test were the same as in younger adults, adding atypical symptoms Like recent urinary incontinence, diarrhea or confusion. Mean duration of treatment was 8,3 +/- 1,5 days for a low infection and 18 +/- 7,8 days for pyelonephritis. This study shows that there is a lack of diag nostic and therapeutic consensus concerning urinary tract infection in the elderly. Therefore, geriatricians usually treat only symptomatic infections. An evaluation of clinical pratice is however necessary, as urinary tract infection in the elderly represent a real public health problem.