Antibiotic prophylaxis in the management of vesicoureteric reflux: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial

The benefits of long-term low-dose antibiotics in preventing urinary tract infection (UTI) and renal damage in children with primary vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) are unclear.

Children aged between 1 and 12 years with VUR grade I–IV and a microbiologically proven UTI were randomized into two groups to receive either antibiotic prophylaxis [2 mg/kg trimethoprim + sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX)] daily or placebo, respectively, for 12 months. Primary outcome was microbiologically confirmed symptomatic UTI. Intention-to-treat analysis using time-to-event data was performed.

A total of 93 children (66.7 % boys) with a median age of 4.6 years were enrolled in this study; VUR grade III–IV was present in 73.1 % of these children. At least one symptomatic UTI occurred in ten (21.3 %) patients receiving antibiotic prophylaxis and in three (6.5 %) patients receiving placebo [hazard ratio in antibiotic group 3.9; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1– 14; log rank test P = 0.02). Compared to the group receiving placebo, the antibiotic group had a 14.8 % increased risk for developing UTI (95 % CI 1–28; P = 0.03). Of the total number of episodes of UTI, 58.3 % of those in the antibiotic group were caused by TMP-SMX-resistant bacteria compared to 20 % in the placebo group (P = 0.15). A renal scan at 12 months revealed that six of 37 (16.2 %) patients in the antibiotic group and seven of 43 (16.3 %) patients in the placebo group had new or worsening of pre-existing scar.

Long-term antibiotic prophylaxis with TMP-SMX is associated with increased risk of symptomatic UTI compared to placebo in children with grade I–IV VUR.