Management of Urinary Tract Infections in Infants and Children

Abstract

One hundred one pediatric patients with urinary tract infections (UTI) were evaluated during 129 visits to our emergency department or ambulatory clinics. The primary objectives of this study were to assess the pattern and appropriateness of the use of antibiotics, in infants and children with UTI. Choice of antibiotics and decision to initiate empiric antibiotic therapy were made appropriately. Continuation of antibiotics despite negative urine culture reports and incomplete antibiotic orders were identified in many cases. Although signs and symptoms of UTI were documented in all cases, genitalia examination was performed in less than 50 percent of cases. The methods of urine collection were poorly documented in many cases. The follow-up evaluations were not available in 80 of 129 cases. These results suggest that discontinuation of antibiotics after receiving reports of negative urine culture, completion of antibiotic orders, documentation of therapy and physical or laboratory data, recommendation for genitalia examination, and follow-up evaluation in all patients may improve the quality of management of UTI in children.