(Press-News.org) Contact information: Laura Mecoy
lmecoy@labiomed.org
310-546-5860
Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (LA BioMed)
LA BioMed study finds daily antibiotics most effective in preventing recurrent urinary tract infection
Cranberry pills, estrogen and acupuncture also found to be helpful
LOS ANGELES (Jan. 8, 2014) – While daily antibiotic use is the most effective method for preventing recurrent urinary tract infections in women, daily cranberry pills, daily estrogen therapy and monthly acupuncture treatments also have benefits that may be preferable for some patients, according to a new study by researchers at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed).
The study, published in the Jan. 15 issue of the journal, Clinical Infectious Diseases, said more than half of women suffer from a urinary tract infection at some time in their lives, often requiring antibiotics or other treatments to recover from the infections.
A smaller group of women will have three or more urinary tract infections per year and may require a more pro-active course of treatment to prevent these recurrent infections. The LA BioMed study is the first to use a modeling approach to compare the effectiveness of all of the most commonly used prophylactic measures.
"We described the benefit of each common management option so that women can find an approach to recurrent urinary tract infections that fits their needs," said Loren G. Miller, MD, MPH, LA BioMed infectious disease specialist and lead researcher for the study. "Daily antibiotic usage is the most beneficial by far in preventing recurrent urinary tract infections, but there are benefits to other forms of treatment as well for women who don't want to take antibiotics."
Urinary tract infections cause pain and often require women to miss work or school. They result in more than 6 million outpatient visits and 479,000 hospitalizations per year. The cost to society is estimated to be more than $2.47 billion annually.
The LA BioMed study compared the findings from previous studies and found that daily antibiotic usage reduced the urinary tract infection recurrence rate to 0.4 per year. Acupuncture therapy reduced the recurrence rate to 0.7 per year, but the study data is somewhat limited. Cranberry pills and estrogen therapy reduced the recurrence rate to 1.1 per year. Another approach is self-diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections, which, while not reducing recurrence rates, was associated with the highest quality of life of all management strategies.
All of these approaches saved money for insurance providers. All of these approaches – except for self-diagnosis and treatment – added to patients' out-of-pocket costs, from a mean of $140 per year for antibiotics to a mean of $946 a year for acupuncture. The researchers noted that patients usually bore most or all the cost of acupuncture, while health insurance often covered all or part of the cost of antibiotics.
"This study provides comparisons of prevention approaches so women can knowledgeably discuss with their providers the most appropriate way for them to manage recurrent urinary tract infections," said Dr. Miller. "Because patient preferences are very diverse, we laid out the benefits and costs of each approach to help the patient and provider choose an approach that best suits the patient's lifestyle and preferences."
###
The study was funded, in part, by National Institutes of Health Grant No. K23AIO183. Researchers Samantha J. Eells, Kiran Bharadwa and James A. McKinnell also participated in the study.
About LA BioMed
Founded in 1952, LA BioMed is one of the country's leading nonprofit independent biomedical research institutes. It has approximately 100 principal researchers conducting studies into improved treatments and therapies for cancer, inherited diseases, infectious diseases, illnesses caused by environmental factors and more. It also educates young scientists and provides community services, including prenatal counseling and childhood nutrition programs. LA BioMed is academically affiliated with the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and located on the campus of Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. For more information, please visit http://www.LABioMed.org
LA BioMed study finds daily antibiotics most effective in preventing recurrent urinary tract infection
Cranberry pills, estrogen and acupuncture also found to be helpful
2014-01-08
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Researchers propose alternative way to allocate science funding
2014-01-08
Researchers propose alternative way to allocate science funding
Researchers in the United States have suggested an alternative way to allocate science funding. The method, which is described in EMBO reports, depends on a collective distribution of funding by ...
Medicine protects against strokes
2014-01-08
Medicine protects against strokes
It is well-known that anticoagulant medicine assists in the prevention of strokes. A large Danish study now shows that the medicine can also reduce the risk of death and brain damage when a stroke happens ...
Seniors moving to HCBS face more hospital risk
2014-01-08
Seniors moving to HCBS face more hospital risk
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Seniors want greater access to home- and community-based long-term care services. Medicaid policymakers have been happy to oblige with new programs to help people move out of expensive ...
Chemical imaging brings cancer tissue analysis into the digital age
2014-01-08
Chemical imaging brings cancer tissue analysis into the digital age
A new method for analysing biological samples based on their chemical makeup is set to transform the way medical scientists examine diseased tissue.
When tests are carried out on a patient's tissue ...
Climate change: How does soil store CO2?
2014-01-08
Climate change: How does soil store CO2?
Carbon content in soil influences climate models
Previous studies have established that carbon binds to tiny mineral particles. In this latest study, published in Nature Communications, researchers have shown ...
COPD: DMP is largely consistent with guidelines
2014-01-08
COPD: DMP is largely consistent with guidelines
Current guidelines are more detailed regarding some aspects of treatment
On 3 January 2014 the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) published the results ...
Study shows 'readability' scores are largely inaccurate
2014-01-08
Study shows 'readability' scores are largely inaccurate
Teachers, parents and textbook companies use technical "readability" formulas to determine how difficult reading materials are and to set reading levels by age group. But new research from North Carolina ...
Scientists find a new mechanism underlying depression
2014-01-08
Scientists find a new mechanism underlying depression
Hebrew University research could lead to efficient and fast-acting antidepressant drugs
The World health Organization calls depression "the leading cause of disability worldwide," causing more years ...
Lower fat content and exercise for the diet of adolescents
2014-01-08
Lower fat content and exercise for the diet of adolescents
A study by the UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country links dietary fat content with the excess of abdominal fat in adolescents, irrespective of the physical exercise they do
This news release is available ...
Study explains origins of giant underwater waves
2014-01-08
Study explains origins of giant underwater waves
Large-scale tests in the lab and the South China Sea reveal the origins of underwater waves that can tower hundreds of feet
CAMBRIDGE, Mass-- Their effect on the surface of the ocean is negligible, producing ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Pink skies
Monkeys are world’s best yodellers - new research
Key differences between visual- and memory-led Alzheimer’s discovered
% weight loss targets in obesity management – is this the wrong objective?
An app can change how you see yourself at work
NYC speed cameras take six months to change driver behavior, effects vary by neighborhood, new study reveals
New research shows that propaganda is on the rise in China
Even the richest Americans face shorter lifespans than their European counterparts, study finds
Novel genes linked to rare childhood diarrhea
New computer model reveals how Bronze Age Scandinavians could have crossed the sea
Novel point-of-care technology delivers accurate HIV results in minutes
Researchers reveal key brain differences to explain why Ritalin helps improve focus in some more than others
Study finds nearly five-fold increase in hospitalizations for common cause of stroke
Study reveals how alcohol abuse damages cognition
Medicinal cannabis is linked to long-term benefits in health-related quality of life
Microplastics detected in cat placentas and fetuses during early pregnancy
Ancient amphibians as big as alligators died in mass mortality event in Triassic Wyoming
Scientists uncover the first clear evidence of air sacs in the fossilized bones of alvarezsaurian dinosaurs: the "hollow bones" which help modern day birds to fly
Alcohol makes male flies sexy
TB patients globally often incur "catastrophic costs" of up to $11,329 USD, despite many countries offering free treatment, with predominant drivers of cost being hospitalization and loss of income
Study links teen girls’ screen time to sleep disruptions and depression
Scientists unveil starfish-inspired wearable tech for heart monitoring
Footprints reveal prehistoric Scottish lagoons were stomping grounds for giant Jurassic dinosaurs
AI effectively predicts dementia risk in American Indian/Alaska Native elders
First guideline on newborn screening for cystic fibrosis calls for changes in practice to improve outcomes
Existing international law can help secure peace and security in outer space, study shows
Pinning down the process of West Nile virus transmission
UTA-backed research tackles health challenges across ages
In pancreatic cancer, a race against time
Targeting FGFR2 may prevent or delay some KRAS-mutated pancreatic cancers
[Press-News.org] LA BioMed study finds daily antibiotics most effective in preventing recurrent urinary tract infectionCranberry pills, estrogen and acupuncture also found to be helpful