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Increased water intake decreases UTI recurrence in women
Clinical Question
Does increased water intake decrease urinary tract infection recurrence in women?
Bottom line
Drinking an additional 1.5 liters per day of water halved the recurrence of urinary tract infection (UTI) in women with a history of at least 3 episodes per year. 1b-
Reference
Study design: Randomized controlled trial (nonblinded)
Funding: Industry
Setting: Outpatient (any)
Synopsis
These researchers enrolled 140 premenopausal women with 3 or more documented episodes of lower UTI but not pyelonephritis in the previous year. In this unblinded study (What is a suitable placebo for water?), the women were randomized, using concealed allocation, to continue their normal levels of water intake or to drink an additional 1.5 liters (3 bottles) of Evian-branded water daily for 12 months, which participants, on average, were able to maintain. Women in the extra water group had approximately half as many infections as the usual intake group, an average 1.7 documented UTIs over the year as compared with an average 3.2 infections in the usual intake group (P < .001). All that extra water resulted in an additional 2 more trips to the bathroom every day, on average, than the usual intake group.
Reviewer
Allen F. Shaughnessy, PharmD, MMedEd
Professor of Family Medicine
Tufts University
Boston, MA
Comments
Increasing water intake = less incidence UTI
May be problematic in seniors, esp those w chronic hyponatremia and poor bladder sphincter function. Unfortunately, they get the "silent UTIs", the ones w constitutional sx but no lower urinary tract sx. This may work well for the younger, sexually active women
water intake
does increased water intake lead to lower intake of eg. coffee, wine. etc?
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