posted 10/24/02
Findings from a case-control study provide more
evidence that diabetes is associated with an increased risk of acute symptomatic
urinary tract infection (UTI) in postmenopausal women.
Dr. Edward J. Boyko of the University of
Washington in Seattle and colleagues studied 901 women 55 to 75 years of age
with an acute symptomatic UTI in the preceding month (cases) and 913 without a
recent UTI (controls). Within the two groups, 13.1% and 6.8%, respectively,
self-reported diabetes. Health records confirmed this diagnosis in 92% of women.
The age-adjusted odds ratio for UTI in relation
to self-reported diabetes was 2.2, the authors report in the October issue of
Diabetes Care. The risk for UTI was highest in women taking oral hypoglycemic
agents or insulin, odds ratios 2.9 and 2.6, respectively.
Diabetic women who were not taking medication for
diabetes were not at increased risk for UTI and there was no significant
difference in the risk for UTI in relation to duration of diabetes.
Dr. Boyko believes that the severity of diabetes
is responsible for the increased UTI risk, not the medication. He also believes
that the use of medications for diabetes is a marker for underlying disease
severity. He couldn’t imagine a mechanism by which these different types of
medications might cause higher UTI risk. Therefore he concluded that more severe
diabetes is a key player in UTI pathogenesis."
Postmenopausal women with recurrent UTI should probably be
checked for the presence of diabetes, the researcher added. As a complication of
diabetes, UTI may be preventable with better glucose control.
Source: Diabetes In Control Dot Com: Diabetes Care
2002;25:1778-1783.
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