Publications

A prospective analysis of urinary tract infections among elderly trauma patients

Zielinski MD, Kuntz MM, Polites SF, Boggust A, Nelson H, Khasawneh MA, Jenkins DH, Harmsen S, Ballman KV, Pieper R

PMID: 26402539

Abstract

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) have been deemed "reasonably preventable" by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, thereby eliminating reimbursement. Elderly trauma patients, however, are at high risk for developing urinary tract infections (UTIs) given their extensive comorbidities, immobilization, and environmental changes in the urine, which provide the ideal environment for bacterial overgrowth. Whether these patients develop CAUTI as a complication of their hospitalization or have asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) or UTI at admission must be determined to justify the "reasonably preventable" classification. We hypothesize that a significant proportion of elderly patients will present with ASB or UTI at admission.