Background and purpose: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are frequently complicated with bacteremia. Many cases of this infection are diagnosed and treated by general practitioners. We retrospectively exam- ined the characteristics of UTIs presenting with urosepsis.
Methods: We assigned 57 UTI patients into two groups according to the results of the blood cultures. Patients were admitted to the Department of General Practice at Sakai City Hospital from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011. We investigated the medical records retrospectively.
Results: 22 patients presented with urosepsis and 35 did not. Urosepsis in the patients was significantly associated with diabetes mellitus and ureteral stones (diabetes: 32 vs. 3%, p = 0.004; ureteral stone: 23 vs. 3%, p = 0.03). Nausea or vomiting and hydronephrosis were seen in about one half of the patients with urosepsis and were significantly more frequent (nausea or vomiting: 45 vs. 17%, p = 0.03; hydronephrosis: 36 vs. 11%, p = 0.04). Leukocytosis (white blood cell (WBC) count > 12,000/gL) or leukopenia (WBC count < 4,000 /μL) were significantly more frequent (68% vs. 29%) but no significant association was found between urosepsis and body temperature or C-reactive proteins.
Conclusions: Nausea or vomiting, ureteral stones or hydronephrosis, diabetes mellitus and leukocytosis or leukopenia had significantly higher rates in the patients with urosepsis.