HYDRATION MONITORING IN THE PREVENTION OF RECURRENT IDIOPATHIC URINARY-TRACT INFECTIONS IN PREMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

Objective To assess whether the use of simple hydration monitoring can encourage adequate hydration and reduce urinary osmolality and the in cidence of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in a population of suscepti ble pre-menopausal women with recurrent idiopathic urinary infections, Subjects and methods The study included 28 premenopausal women who ha d at least two idiopathic UTIs in the previous 6 months. Urinary osmol ality was assessed by the patients at each void by a simple hand-herd probe, and the readings over 4 months compared, Monthly urine culture was compared between successive 4-month periods in which the probe was or was not used. Results The study was completed by 17 women. There w as a significant shift towards urine of lower osmolality over the 4-mo nth period using the probe (Pearson's chi(2) < 0.001). Significantly f ewer urinary tract infections developed during the 4 months using the probe (McNemar's chi(2)=0.046). Conclusions The use of the osmolality probe encouraged the subject to maintain adequate hydration. The resul ting augmentation of the natural urethral 'wash-out' mechanism led to lower osmolality urine and a reduction in the incidence of UTIs.