Objective: To address clinical uncertainties about the effectiveness and safety of long-term antibiotic therapy for preventing recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) in older adults. Design: Systematic review andmeta-analysis of randomised trials. Method: We searched Medline, Embase, The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature(CINAHL), and the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials from inception to August 2016. Eligible studies compared long-term antibiotic therapy with non-antibiotic therapy or placebo in men or women aged over 65, or in postmenopausal women, with recurrent UTIs. Results: We did not identify any studies that included older men. Three randomised controlled trials compared long-term antibiotics with vaginal oestrogens (n=150), oral lactobacilli (n=238) and D-mannose powder (n=94) in postmenopausal women. Long-term antibiotics reduced the risk of UTI recurrence by 24% (three trials, n=482; pooled risk ratio (RR) 0.76; 95% CI 0.61 to 0.95, number needed to treat=8.5). There was no statistically significant increase in risk of adverse events (mild adverse events: pooled RR 1.52; 95% CI 0.76 to 3.03; serious adverse events: pooled RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.31 to 2.66). One trial showed 90% of urinary and faecal Escherichia coli isolates were resistant to trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole after 1 month of prophylaxis. Conclusions: Findings from three small trials with relatively short follow-up periods suggest long-term antibiotic therapy reduces the risk of recurrence in postmenopausal women with recurrent UTI. We did not identify any evidence to inform several clinically important scenarios including, benefits and harms in older men or frail care home residents, optimal duration of prophylaxis, recurrence rates once prophylaxis stops and effects on urinary antibiotic resistance.

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are an important cause of morbidity and antibiotic use in older adults but there are little data describing disease burden in primary care. The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of clinically diagnosed UTI and examine associated empirical antibiotic prescribing. We conducted a retrospective observational study using linked health records from almost one million patients aged ≥65 years old, registered with 393 primary care practices in England. We estimated incidence of clinically diagnosed UTI between March 2004 and April 2014, and used multilevel logistic regression to examine trends in empiric antibiotic prescribing. Of 931,945 older adults, 196,358 (21%) had at least one clinically diagnosed UTI over the study period. In men, the incidence of clinically diagnosed UTI per 100 person-years at risk increased from 2.81 to 3.05 in those aged 65–74, 5.90 to 6.13 in those aged 75–84, and 8.08 to 10.54 in those aged 85+. In women, incidence increased from 9.03 to 10.96 in those aged 65–74, 11.35 to 14.34 in those aged 75–84, and 14.65 to 19.80 in those aged 85+. Prescribing of broad-spectrum antibiotics decreased over the study period. There were increases in the proportion of older men (from 45% to 74%) and women (from 55% to 82%) with UTI, prescribed a UTI specific antibiotic. There were also increases in the proportion of older men (42% to 69%) and women (15% to 26%) prescribed antibiotics for durations recommended by clinical guidelines. This is the first population-based study describing the burden of UTI in UK primary care. Our findings suggest a need to better understand reasons for increasing rates of clinically diagnosed UTI and consider how best to address this important clinical problem.

Back pain is one of the most common causes for disability in the working population. Some risk factors for back pain are well known, however little is known about factors uniquely associated with acute or chronic back pain. This study aimed to elucidate patterns uniquely associated with acute or chronic back pain. This study performed secondary analysis of data from the Welsh Health Survey 2012, a nationwide cross-sectional survey. A multivariable analysis was carried out for risk factors found to be significantly associated with acute and chronic back pain. We found that increased BMI (aOR 1.20, 95% Cis 1.08, 1.33; BMI > 30), mental health score below average (aOR 1.59, 95% CIs 1.47, 1.72), having a degree (aOR 1.28, 95% CIs 1.12, 1.47) and being older than 24 years (P < 0.001) were associated with increased prevalence of acute back pain. Higher prevalence of chronic back pain was seen in individuals characterised by increased deprivation (WIMD) (aOR 1.61, 95% CIs 1.32, 1.96); increased age (aOR 7.34, 95% CIs 5.25, 10.26; for 65+); being female (aOR = 1.43, 95% CIs 1.27, 1.61); lower educational attainment (aOR 0.44, 95% CIs 0.36, 0.55) higher BMI (aOR = 1.60 95% CIs 1.38, 1.85; BMI > 30); poorer mental health score (aOR = 3.11 95% CIs 2.76, 3.51), and a sedentary lifestyle (aOR = 0.58, 95% CIs 0.49, 0.69; 3–5 days of light exercise). Increased deprivation, female gender, and little exercise were uniquely associated with chronic back pain. These characteristics may help clinicians to intervene to prevent acute backpain resulting in chronic cases.

An NHS-funded sore throat test and treat (STTT) service was introduced in selected community pharmacies in Wales. Service users were screened using FeverPAIN/Centor scores, offered rapid antigen detection testing (RADT) to detect group A Streptococcus if appropriate, and supplied with antibiotics (by the pharmacist) if indicated. Following an initial evaluation, the service was rolled out nationally. This study forms part of the long-term STTT evaluation. The aim was to describe characteristics of the service and service users, the delivery, service outcomes, patient safety and antibiotic prescribing. Cross-sectional descriptive study using anonymized individual-level data from electronic pharmacy records of all eligible STTT service users between November 2018 and February 2020. We identified 11 304 pharmacy STTT consultations in service users aged 6 years and over, with a median age of 25 years (IQR: 12 to 44). RADT was undertaken in 8666 (76.7%) consultations with 2503 (28.9% of RADT) positive tests. In total, 2406 (21.3%) service users were supplied with antibiotics. Pharmacists managed 91% of consultations in the pharmacy and referred only 937 (9.3%) service users to a GP and 27 (0.2%) to the Emergency Department. Higher rates of antibiotic supply were observed in out-of-hours consultations when compared with in-hours (24.9% versus 20.9%). This is the largest description of a pharmacy-led STTT service to date and suggests it can be delivered at scale to align with a pre-specified pathway that promotes appropriate use of RADT and antibiotics. The service could substantially reduce workload from a common illness in other heavily pressurized areas of primary and emergency care.

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common and significant problem for patients, clinicians, and healthcare services. Recurrent UTIs (rUTIs) are common, with a 3% prevalence in the UK. Although acute UTIs have a significant negative impact on the lives of patients, evidence of the impact of rUTIs is limited. To enhance shared decision-making around rUTI management, it is important to understand both the patients’ and healthcare professionals’ (HCPs’) perspectives. The objective of this qualitative evidence synthesis is to understand patients’ and HCPs’ experiences and views in the management of rUTIs. Methods: A qualitative evidence synthesis (QES) was performed that included primary qualitative studies involving patients with rUTIs or primary care HCPs who manage patients with rUTIs, up to June 2022. The following databases were searched: MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycInfo, ASSIA, Web of Science, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Epistemonikos, Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials, OpenGrey, and the Health Management Information Consortium (HMIC). The QES was prospectively registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022295662). Reciprocal translation was conducted and developed into a line of argument synthesis. We appraised the confidence in our review findings by using GRADE-CERQual. Results: Twelve studies were included in the final review; ten of those included patients, and three included HCPs (one study included both). Our review demonstrates that women with rUTIs have a unique experience, but it is generally of a chronic condition with significant impacts on numerous aspects of their lives. Antibiotics can be “transformative”, but patients have serious concerns about their use and feel non-antibiotic options need further research and discussion. HCPs share similar views about the impacts of rUTIs and concerns about antibiotic use and find the management of rUTIs to be complex and challenging. Based on our GRADE-CERQual assessment of the review findings, we have moderate confidence in those related to patients and low confidence in those related to HCPs. New conceptual models for both patients and HCPs are presented. Conclusions: This review has significant clinical implications. Patients require information on antibiotic alternative acute and preventative treatments for rUTIs, and this is not currently being addressed. There are communication gaps around the impact of rUTIs on patients, their perceived expectation for antibiotics, and the reasons for treatment failure. Further development of current clinical guidance and a patient decision aid would help address these issues.