Subscribe to RSS
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1557007
Clinical features of urinary tract infection in infants born preterm
Subject Editor:
Publication History
30 April 2008
11 June 2008
Publication Date:
28 July 2015 (online)
Abstract
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is common among young infants. The diagnosis of UTI requires a better understanding of the clinical and laboratory presentations in this age group. This study describes the clinical and laboratory aspects of UTI in young infants who were born preterm compared with infants who were born full term. All infants aged less than 3 months who had their first episode of UTI (excluding infants with UTI that occurred during neonatal intensive care unit stay) between July 2003 and June 2006 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 73 infants (32 preterm and 41 term) were included. Clinical and laboratory presentations were compared between the two groups. Overall, 49.3% of patients had fever, 52% had poor feeding, 47.9% had vomiting, and 39.7% had apnea. There were no significant differences in clinical features of UTI between the two groups. Term infants had an elevated C-reactive protein in 45% of cases, leukocytosis in 30.8% and thrombocytosis in 61.5%, while preterm infants had elevated C-reactive protein in 21.9% of cases, leukocytosis in 3.6%, and thrombocytosis in 35.7%, (P = 0.041, P = 0.037, and P = 0.008, respectively). Urinary leukocytes were present in 40% of term and in 26% of preterm infants (P = 0.360). There was no difference in vesicoureteral reflux between the two groups. Clinical features of UTI of early infancy were similar in preterm and term infants. Both groups had similar vesicoureteral reflux. Symptomatic preterm infants with UTI were less likely to have abnormal laboratory findings.