Background
Methods
Protocol and registration
Eligibility criteria
-
Elderly participants. The majority of the participants in the study must be representative of an elderly population, defined as the median or mean age ≥ 65 years.
-
Primary studies in which participants with lower UTI or bacteriuria were assessed for concurrent confusion, or participants with confusion were assessed for concurrent UTI or bacteriuria.
-
Any care setting (Hospital, Community, Long Term Care Facility).
-
Studies that refer to specific sub-populations of patients with UTI. Examples include: stroke patients, Alzheimers or dementia patients or post-surgical patients
-
Studies that exclusively report catheter associated UTI;
-
Non-English publications
-
Case studies
Identification of studies
“Delirium”[Mesh] OR “Confusion”[Mesh] OR “acute confusional state”[All Fields] OR “altered mental status”[All Fields] OR “altered mental state”[All Fields] OR “delirium”[All Fields] OR “confusion”[All Fields] | |
AND | |
“Urinary Tract Infections”[Mesh] OR “Bacteriuria”[Mesh] OR “urinary infection”[All Fields] OR “urine infection”[All Fields] OR “urinary tract infection”[All Fields] OR “Bacteriuria”[All Fields] |
Study selection
Data extraction
-
General information: author, year of publication, title, type of publication, journal;
-
Study characteristics: aim, study design;
-
Patient sample: number, age, gender, presence of urinary catheters;
-
Care setting: Hospital, Long-term Care Facility, Community;
-
Confusion criteria: criteria utilised to diagnose confusion;
-
UTI/Bacteriuria criteria: criteria utilised to diagnose UTI/bacteriuria;
-
Results: association between UTI/bacteriuria and confusion if reported, rates of patients with UTI/bacteriuria having confusion, rates of patients with confusion having UTI/bacteriuria;
-
Risk of bias: see Quality Assessment below
Quality assessment / risk of Bias
Item Number | Category | Quality Assessment |
---|---|---|
1 | Reporting | The main outcomes of the study to be measured are clearly described in the Introduction or Methods section |
2 | Reporting | The characteristics of the patients included in the study are clearly described (ie. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria stated, case definition and the source for controls stated in case control studies) |
3 | Reporting | The number/characteristics of non-responders (cross-sectional) or patients lost to follow-up (longitudinal) have been described |
4 | Reporting | The study provides estimates of the random variability in the data for the association of UTI or Bacteriuria and confusion |
5 | Reporting | Actual probability values have been reported for the association between UTI and Delirium eg. p = .035 not p < 0.5, except where p < 0.001 |
6 | Internal Validity | The statistical tests used to assess the association of UTI or Bacteriuria and confusion were appropriate. |
7 | Internal Validity | The distribution of principle confounders in each comparison group were clearly described |
8 | External Validity | Patients asked to participate in the study were representative of the entire population of which they were recruited (source population identified and those asked to participate were either the entire population or a randomised sample of the entire population) |
9 | External Validity | Those participants who were prepared to participate, were representative of the entire population of which they were recruited? > 70% = Yes, < 70% = No |
10 | Criteria | The criteria used to define caseness for UTI was described |
11 | Criteria | The criteria used to define caseness for UTI was valid and reliable |
12 | Criteria | Criteria for Bacteriuria was described |
13 | Criteria | The criteria used to define caseness for confusion was described |
14 | Criteria | The criteria used to define caseness for confusion was valid and reliable |
Data synthesis
Results
Study selection
Quality assessment
Study
|
Design of Study
|
Patient Sample Number, Age, Female %, Catheter %
|
Care Setting
|
Association between Confusion and UTI Primary Aim of Study
|
Confusion Diagnostic Criteria
|
UTI/Bacteriuria Diagnostic Criteria
|
Results
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cohort; Prospective | 136 patients Age: mean 76 years, SD 12 Female 40% Catheter: Unclear | Nursing Home | Partial | Delirium CAM | Bacteriuria Not Stated UTI Not described | 11 out of 43 (26%) incidents of UTI had delirium | |
Cross Sectional; Prospective | 710 patients Age: ≥ 70 years; mean 83, range 70–101 Female: 60% Catheter: 5.5% | Hospital (Medical Acute Admissions Unit) | Partially | Delirium CAM | Bacteriuria Not Stated UTI ICD – 10 Codes | 16 out of 110 (15%) patients admitted with delirium had UTI | |
Cross Sectional; Prospective | 37 residents Age: ≥65 years; Female: Unclear Catheter: Unclear | Long term care facilities (intermediate and skilled bed) | Partially | Delirium screened using NEECHAM and confirmed with CAM | Bacteriuria Not Stated UTI Defined by leukocyturia | 7 out of 15 (47%) patients with delirium had UTI | |
Cross Sectional; Prospective | 504 citizens from population record, Age: 172 aged 85 years, 169 aged 90 years, 63 aged ≥95 years, Female: 100% Catheter: 1.8% | Community Setting (Institutionalised care: 238/504) | Yes | Delirium Organic Brain Syndrome Scale | Bacteriuria Not Stated UTI documented symptomatic UTI, with short- or long-term antibiotics, or symptoms and laboratory tests judged to indicate a UTI | 39 out of 87 (45%) patients with UTI had delirium 39 out of 137 (29%) patients with delirium had UTI UTI was present in 29% of patients with delirium and 13% of those without delirium (p < 0.001) UTI was associated with delirium OR 1.9 (95% CI 1.1–3.3, p = 0.025) | |
Case Controlled Prospective | 171 delirious patients Age: ≥65 years mean 81, range 65–98 Female: 54% Catheter: Unclear | Hospital | Partial | Delirium DSM III Criteria | Bacteriuria Not Stated UTI Not Stated | 25 out of 171 (15%) patients with delirium had UTI | |
Cohort Study Prospective | 551 Residents Age: ≥65 years mean 86, SD 7.1 Female:81% Catheter: 0% | Long Term Care Facilities | Partial | Change in Mental Status Adapted delirium criteria from DSM VI | Bacteriuria ≥104 cfu/ml on urine culture + pyuria (> 10 WBC) on urinalysis UTI Not Stated | 70 out of 147 (48%) patients with bacteriuria + pyuria had mental status changes 70 out of 170 (41%) patients with mental status change had bacteriuria + pyuria Association of mental status change with bacteriuria +pyuria RR 1.4 (95% CI 1.0–1.7, p = 0.034) | |
Cohort Study Prospective | 87 patients Age: ≥70 years mean 83.8, range 71–97 Female: 76% Catheter: Unclear | Hospital (Medical Ward) | Partial | Delirium DSM-IV | Bacteriuria Not Stated UTI Consensus of three geriatricians after assessment | 35 of 87 (40%) patients with delirium had UTI | |
Cohort; Prospective | 188 patients with delirium Age: ≥ 65 years mean 83.3, SD 7.4 Female: 68% Catheter: Unclear | Hospital (Post-acute admissions) | No | Delirium CAM | Bacteriuria Not Stated UTI Clinically documented in the medical record | 22 out of 188 (12%) patients with delirium had UTI 12% of patients with delirium had UTI compared to 7% of patients without delirium (p = 0.22) |
Study
|
Design of Study
|
Patient Sample Number, Age,
Female %, Catheter %
|
Care Setting
|
Association between Confusion and UTI Primary Aim of Study
|
Confusion Diagnostic Criteria
|
UTI/Bacteriuria Diagnostic Criteria
|
Results
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cross Sectional; Prospective | 100 patients with UTI, Age: ≥ 60 years, mean 72 +/− 8.6, range 60–100 Female: 78% Catheter: 46% | Hospital (General and Intensive care wards 95:5) | No | Confusion Not stated | Bacteriuria ≥105 bacteria/ml UTI Not described | 60 out of 100 (60%) patients with UTI had Confusion | |
Cross Sectional; Retrospective | 25.4 million presentations of UTI Age: ≥ 18 years, 18,200,000 aged 18–64, Female 87% 5,015,000 aged 65–84, Female 68% 2,203,000 aged ≥85, Female 76% Catheter: Unclear | Hospital (Emergency Department) | Yes | Altered Mental Status ICD - 9 code 780.97; or documentation of disorientation; or presence of reason for visit ICD - 9 codes 5840.0, 5841.0, or 5842.0 | Bacteriuria Not Stated UTI ICD-9 CM codes for UTI; or cystitis; or pyelonephritis; (590, 595.0, 595.89, 595.9, or 599.0) | Altered mental status was present in 7% of those aged 65–84, and 13% of those aged ≥85, with UTI. Compared to adults aged 18 to 64 years, those aged ≥85 with UTI were more likely to present with altered mental status. (Adjusted OR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.3–5.0; p = 0.009) Nursing home residents more likely to present with altered mental status (Adjusted OR 4.8 95% CI 2.9–7.8 < 0.001) | |
Cross-Sectional, case control retrospective | 154 bacteriuric patients Age: ≥65 years, mean 83, SD 8 Female: 84% Catheter: 51% Control group 142 non-bacteriuric patients Age: ≥65 years, mean 82, SD 8 Female: 75% Catheter: 37% | Hospital | Partial | Delirium Defined by delirium, acute confusion, or mental status change as documented on admission | Bacteriuria ≥5 × 104 cfu/ml of a single uropathogen, pyuria, or nitrate positive test results UTI Positive urine culture and atleast local symptoms, fever, delirium (mental status change) or other symptoms (lower abdominal pain, falls, emesis) | 46 out of 154 (30%) patients with bacteriuria had delirium Patients with bacteriuria were more likely to have Delirium OR 5.1 (95% CI 2.5–10, P < 0.05) 40 out of 104 (39%) patients with UTI had delirium Patients with UTI were more likely to have delirium in comparison to patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria. OR 4.6 (95% CI 1.8–12, p < 0.05) | |
Retrospective Case Controlled | 117 Patients with Delirium Age: ≥60, 54 > 80+ Female: 65% Catheter: Unclear | Hospital | No | Delirium ICD-9 Codes for Delirium | Bacteriuria Not Stated UTI Discharge ICD-9 Codes for UTI | 37 out of 117 (32%) with delirium had UTI UTI was associated with delirium OR 3.05 (95% CI 2.01–4.50) | |
Cross-sectional; Retrospective | Total 1,968,527 hospitalizations with CHF, UTI, pneumonia or lower limb orthopaedics Age: ≥ 18 years 1,952,301 without delirium Age: ≥ 18 years median age 75 female 60% Catheter: Unclear 16,226 with delirium Age: median age 83, Female 63% Catheter: Unclear | Hospital | Partial | Delirium 6 ICD-9 Codes (drug-induced delirium, presenile dementia with delirium, senile dementia with delirium, vascular dementia with delirium, subacute delirium or delirium not otherwise specified) | Bacteriuria Not Stated UTI CMS-DRG classifications kidney/urinary tract infections (DRGs 320–321) | 2700 out of 254,000 (1.1%) patients with UTI presented with delirium on admission 3750 out of 254,000 (1.5%) patients with UTI had delirium at any time during hospitalisation Multivariate models for predicting delirium produced, however UTI used as reference group. | |
Cross- Sectional; Retrospective | 26,057,988 hospitalizations with CHF, UTI, pneumonia or lower limb orthopaedics Age: ≥ 18 years 25,806,657 without delirium Age: ≥ 18 years median age 74 female 60% Catheter: Unclear 251,331 with any delirium Age: ≥ 18 years median age 83, Female 63% Catheter: Unclear | Hospital | Partial | Delirium 6 ICD-9 Codes (drug-induced delirium, presenile dementia with delirium, senile dementia with delirium, vascular dementia with delirium, subacute delirium or delirium not otherwise specified) Non-dementia, Non-drug Delirium 2 ICD-9 Codes (subacute delirium or delirium not otherwise specified) | Bacteriuria Not Stated UTI CMS-DRG classifications kidney/urinary tract infections (DRGs 320–321) | 58,000 out of 3,158,000 (1.8%) patients with UTI had any delirium 38,000 out of 3,158,000 (1%) patients with UTI had non-dementia, non-drug delirium Yearly prevalence of any delirium in patients with UTI 16.6–20.9/1000 Multivariate models for predicting delirium produced, however UTI used as reference group | |
Cross-sectional; Retrospective | 9 patients with Delirium Age: mean 76, range 58–83 Female: 44% Catheter: Unclear | General Practice | No | Delirium ICD-10 | Bacteriuria Not Stated UTI Not Stated | 2 out of 9 (22%) patients with delirium had UTI | |
Cross-Sectional; Retrospective | 407 patients Age: Not Stated Female: Not Stated Catheter: Unclear Of the 14 patients with UTI and delirium Age: 81.9 years, range 70–93 | Hospital (Psychogeriatric Unit) | Partial | Delirium ICD-9 | Bacteriuria Not Stated UTI ICD - 9 | 14 out of 83 (17%) patients with UTI had delirium 14 out of 54 (26%) patients with delirium had UTI | |
Cohort; Retrospective | 225,028 Age: ≥ 65 years, median 82; Female: 58% Catheter: Unclear | Hospital (Admissions) | No | Delirium Defined as on Day 3 or later prescribed an antipsychotic or placed into restraints | Bacteriuria Not Stated UTI ICD-9-CM | 944 out of 20,986 (4.5%) patients with UTI had delirium | |
Cross-Sectional; Retrospective | 464 patients Age: ≥ 65 years, mean 72.7 SD 6.4; Female: 42% Catheter: Unclear | Hospital (Admission) | Partial | Delirium Key words in clinical notes: acute confusion, acute mental status changes, fluctuating consciousness, acute agitation and organic brain syndrome | Bacteriuria Not Stated UTI Not Stated | 17 out of 43 (40%) patients with UTI had delirium 17 out of 101 (17%) patients with delirium had UTI 17% of patients with delirium had UTI compared to 7% of patients without delirium. Adjusted OR 3.1 (95% CI 1.5–6.8, p < 0.005) | |
Cohort; Prospective | 65 residents Age: Not reported Female: Unclear Catheter: Unclear | Nursing Home | Yes | Delirium Not Stated Altered Mental Status Not Stated | Bacteriuria Not Stated UTI significant change in condition + new +ve urine culture (≥104 cfu/ml for gram positive or ≥ 5 × 104 cfu/ml for gram negative organisms) + ≥10 WBCs per high power field. | 3.4% of residents with UTI had delirium 12% of residents with UTI had altered mental status | |
Cohort; Prospective | 335 Patients Age: ≥ 18 years, mean 68, Female: 36% Catheter: 51% | Hospital | No | Confusion or Altered Mental Status Clinical Notes | Bacteriuria > 104 cfu/ml on urine culture Catheter: 102 cfu/mL on urine culture UTI Bacteriuria and either fever without another explanation or ≥ 1 urinary symptom | 77 out of 137 (56%) patients with positive urine cultures had confusion or Altered mental status compared to 114 out of 198 (58%) patients with negative urine cultures (p = 0.82) 19 out of 34 (56%) UTI patients presented with confusion or altered mental status compared to 44 out of 67 (66%) patients with asymptomatic bacteriura (p = 0.17) | |
Sundvall 2014 [11] | Cross-sectional; Prospective | 421 residents Age (Female): mean 87 years, SD 6.4, range 63–100 Age (Male): mean 85 years, SD 7.1, range 65–100 Female: 70% Catheter: 0% | Nursing Home | Partial | Confusion Nursing Clinical Notes | Bacteriuria ≥105 cfu/ml on urine culture or if signs of possible UTI present: ≥103 for E. coli or males with Klebsiella and E.Faecalis; or ≥ 104 women with Klebsiella and E.Faecalis. UTI Not Stated | 3 out of 22 (14%) residents with confusion had bacteriuria 3 out of 135 (2.2%) residents with bacteriuria had confusion Residents with bacteriuria were less likely to have confusion OR 0.15 (95% CI 0.033–0.68, p = 0.014) |
Sundvall 2011 [69] | Cross-sectional; Prospective | 651 residents Age (Female): mean 86 years, SD 7.4, range 46–102 Age (Male): mean 82 years, SD 7.8, range 54–99 Female: 74% Catheter: 0% | Nursing Home | Yes | Confusion Nursing Assessment | Bacteriuria ≥105 cfu/ml on urine culture or if signs of possible UTI present: ≥103 for E. coli or males with Klebsiella and E.Faecalis; or ≥ 104 women with Klebsiella and E.Faecalis. UTI Not Stated | Correlation between bacteriuria with E. Coli and confusion OR 1.8 (95% CI 0.96–3.6, p = 0.067) Correlation between bacteriuria and confusion OR 1.9 (95% CI 1.0–3.5, p = 0.044) |