Urine Cultures among Hospitalized Veterans: Casting Too Broad a Net?
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2014 May;35(5):574-6
Authors: Drekonja DM, Gnadt C, Kuskowski MA, Johnson JR
Abstract
Since detection of asymptomatic bacteriuria among inpatients often leads to inappropriate antimicrobial treatment, we studied why urine cultures were ordered and correlates of treatment. Most cultures were obtained from patients without urinary complaints and a minority from asymptomatic patients. High-count bacteriuria, not clinical manifestations, appeared to trigger most antimicrobial use.
PMID: 24709728 [PubMed - in process]