Risk factors for recurrent urinary tract infection in young women

To define host factors associated with an increased risk of recurrent urina ry tract infection (RUTI), a case-control study was conducted in 2 populati ons: university women and health maintenance organization enrollees. Case p atients were 229 women 18-30 years old with RUTIs; control subjects were 25 3 randomly selected women with no RUTI history. In a multivariate model, in dependent risk factors for RUTI included recent 1-month intercourse frequen cy (odds ratio [OR], 5.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.1-10.6 for 4-8 ep isodes), 12-month spermicide use (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1-2.9), and new sex pa rtner during the past year (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2-3.2). Two newly identified risk factors were age at first urinary tract infection (UTI) less than or equal to 15 years (OR, 3.9; 95% CI, 1.9-8.0) and UTI history in the mother (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.5-3.7). Blood group and secretor phenotype were not ass ociated with RUTI. In young women, risk factors for sporadic UTI are also r isk factors for recurrence. Two predictors suggest that genetic/long-term e nvironmental exposures also predispose to RUTI.