Bacteriuria and autonomic nerve function in diabetic women.

Significant bacteriuria (viable count greater than or equal to 10(5)/ml) was found on single testing in 10% of 400 consecutive diabetic women aged 15-65 yr routinely attending a diabetic clinic. Twenty patients with and 21 without significant bacteriuria were then randomly selected for measurement of cardiovascular autonomic reflexes, bladder ultrasound, and mictiography. There were no significant differences between these two groups in age, duration and type of diabetes, glycosylated hemoglobin, blood urea, and creatinine. Abnormalities of cardiovascular autonomic function were more common in the bacteriuric group (P less than .01). Although the bacteriuric group voided a smaller volume of urine, none had evidence of increased residual bladder volume of urine on ultrasound. Diabetic women with cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy appear to be at increased risk of developing bacteriuria. However, age is probably the most important factor influencing the prevalence of bacteriuria in diabetic and in nondiabetic women.