Obesity and iron deficiency anemia as risk factors for asymptomatic bacteriuria

• Published in: European journal of internal medicine Vol. 25; no. 3; pp. 292 - 295
• Main Authors: Cuttitta, F., Torres, D., Vogiatzis, D., Buttà, C., Bellanca, M., Gueli, D., Lupo, U., Schimmenti, C., Virzì, G., Petrantoni, R., Balistreri, F., Paterna, S., Parrinello, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.03.2014
• Subjects: Aged; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency - complications; Asymptomatic bacteriuria; Asymptomatic Infections - epidemiology; Bacteriuria - epidemiology; Bacteriuria - etiology; Female; Humans; Internal Medicine; Iron deficiency anemia; Male; Obesity; Obesity - complications; Risk Factors; Urinary tract infections; Obesity; OR; Iron deficiency anemia; dL; Asymptomatic bacteriuria; μg; UTIs; μL; Urinary tract infections; mg; BPH; CFUs; mL; BMI; micrograms; body mass index; milligrams; colony-forming units; benign prostate hyperplasia; milliliter; deciliter; urinary tract infections; odds ratios; microliter
• ISSN: 0953-6205; 1879-0828; 1879-0828
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejim.2014.01.018

Few studies examined the risk factors of asymptomatic bacteriuria, showing contradictory results. Our study aimed to examine the association between different clinical and laboratory parameters and asymptomatic bacteriuria in internal medicine patients. 330 consecutive hospitalized subjects, asymptomatic for urinary tract infections (UTIs), underwent to microscopic examination of urine specimens. 100 subjects were positive for microscopic bacteriuria and were recruited into the study. At the quantitative urine culture 31 subjects of study population were positive while 69 subjects were negative for bacteriuria. The analysis of clinical characteristics showed that the two groups of subjects (positive and negative urine culture for bacteriuria) were significant different (p<0.05) about obesity (76.7% vs 42% respectively), metabolic syndrome (80.6% vs 44,9%), cholelithiasis (35.5% vs 13,2%) and iron deficiency anemia (80.6% vs 53,6%). The univariate analysis showed that only obesity, cholelithiasis and iron deficiency anemia were positively associated with positive urine culture for bacteriuria (Odds Ratios [OR]=3.79, p=0.0003; OR=2,65, p=0.0091; OR=2.63, p=0.0097; respectively). However, the multivariate analysis by logistic regression showed that only obesity and iron deficiency anemia, independently associated with positive urine culture for bacteriuria (OR=3.9695, p=0.0075; OR=3.1569, p=0.03420 respectively). This study shows that obesity and iron deficiency anemia are independent risk factors for asymptomatic bacteriuria. •Obesity increases the risk of anemia and asymptomatic bacteriuria.•Asymptomatic bacteriuria increases the risk iron deficiency anemia.•Obesity and anemia increase the risk of asymptomatic bacteriuria.