| Title: |
Defining recurrent urinary tract infection and reinfection risk: electronic health record study |
| Authors: |
Vazquez-Montes, Maria D.L.A.; Fanshawe, Thomas R.; Smith, Margaret C.; Ahmed, Haroon; Stoesser, Nicole; Walker, A. Sarah; Butler, Christopher; Hayward, Gail |
| Publisher Information: |
Royal College of General Practitioners |
| Publication Year: |
2026 |
| Collection: |
Cardiff University: ORCA (Online Research @ Cardiff) |
| Description: |
Background: There is limited evidence to support the current standard recurrent urinary tract infection (rUTI) definition of ≥2 UTIs within 6 months or ≥3 within 12 months. Information about reinfection risk after meeting criteria for rUTI may aid decisions on the value of prophylactic approaches.Aim: To estimate the risk of subsequent UTI associated with different rUTI definitions.Design and setting: Electronic health record study using Infections in Oxfordshire Research Database (IORD, 2008-2019) and the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD, 2009-2019).Method: We identified community-acquired UTIs, separated by 28 days, in non-pregnant women aged 16+years. We created candidate rUTI definitions varying the time window from 3-9 months, and the number of UTIs required to meet the definition from 2-3 episodes. For each definition, we calculated Kaplan-Meier risk estimates of subsequent UTIs within 6 and 12 months after meeting rUTI criteria.Results: Of eligible women with at least one UTI, 18% (15,617/84,809) in IORD and 20% (334,487/1,703,088) in CPRD experienced ≥1 rUTI (current definition). The risk of at least two subsequent UTIs within 12 months after meeting the current rUTI definition rose from 17% (IORD) and 16% (CPRD) to 33% (IORD) and 32% (CPRD) under a rUTI definition of ≥3 UTIs within 6 months. Risk of subsequent UTI also increased with age.Conclusion: Risk estimates of subsequent UTIs after a rUTI vary according to the definition of rUTI adopted. Estimates provided here could support shared decision making around UTI prophylaxis and stratification of populations included in future rUTI research. |
| Document Type: |
article in journal/newspaper |
| File Description: |
application/pdf |
| Language: |
English |
| Relation: |
https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/184388/1/BJGPO.2025.0239.full.pdf; Vazquez-Montes, Maria D.L.A., Fanshawe, Thomas R., Smith, Margaret C., Ahmed, Haroon https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/view/cardiffauthors/A1258479.html orcid:0000-0002-0634-8548 orcid:0000-0002-0634-8548, Stoesser, Nicole, Walker, A. Sarah, Butler, Christopher and Hayward, Gail 2026. Defining recurrent urinary tract infection and reinfection risk: electronic health record study. British Journal of General Practice Open , BJGPO.2025.0239. 10.3399/BJGPO.2025.0239 https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGPO.2025.0239 file https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/184388/1/BJGPO.2025.0239.full.pdf |
| DOI: |
10.3399/bjgpo.2025.0239 |
| Availability: |
https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/184388/; https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgpo.2025.0239; https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/184388/1/BJGPO.2025.0239.full.pdf |
| Rights: |
cc_by_4_0 |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.CF3AAEDF |
| Database: |
BASE |