Asymptomatic bacteriuria, urinary antibody, and survival in the institutionalized elderly.

OBJECTIVE

To compare clinical status of elderly institutionalized subjects with asymptomatic bacteriuria and normal urinary antibody to those with elevated urinary antibody to the major outer membrane of Escherichia coli.

DESIGN

Retrospective review.

SETTING

Long term facility for the elderly.

PARTICIPANTS

Convenience sample of 63 elderly subjects, 26% of those resident in the institution, aged 78.8 +/- 8.4 years with urine specimens collected and stored in 1987.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Differences in clinical or functional status, demographic features, and outcome during 3-years follow-up between bacteriuric subjects with normal and elevated urine antibody.

RESULTS

Thirteen subjects had no bacteriuria, and 12 had infrequent, intermittent bacteriuria; 38 (60%) had persistent bacteriuria, including four with frequent, intermittent infections. In the persistently bacteriuric group, 18 (47%) had persistently elevated urine antibody. There was no significant differences between bacteriuric residents with normal vs elevated urine antibody in clinical or functional status, age, duration of residence, or infecting organisms. However, 11 of 20 in the cohort with normal urine antibody were alive at 3 years compared to 3 of 18 with elevated urine antibody (P = 0.014).

CONCLUSIONS

Elderly institutionalized subjects with persistent bacteriuria and elevated urine antibody have decreased survival compared to those with normal urine antibody. No differences in underlying illness or clinical course to explain this survival difference were identified.