Antimicrobial Resistance in Urinary Tract Infections: Impact on Costs and Clinical Variables
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26694/repis.v12i1.7258Keywords:
Drug Resistance, Multiple, Cross Infection, Health Care Costs, Drug Costs, Urinary Tract InfectionsAbstract
Introduction: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are one of the main threats to patient health and a challenge for healthcare professionals. Among them, urinary tract infections (UTIs) are very common and are often caused by antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms, resulting in longer hospital stays and higher costs.Objective: To compare clinical variables and the total cost of hospitalization, including expenses with antimicrobial therapy, among adult patients hospitalized with positive urine cultures for antimicrobial-sensitive and -resistant microorganisms, from January 2018 to December 2023.Method: A retrospective, cross-sectional, and quantitative study conducted at a high-complexity hospital in southern Brazil. It included patients aged ≥18 years, hospitalized for more than 72 hours with a positive urine culture. Clinical, microbiological, and financial variables were analyzed. Data were extracted using the Business Intelligence® platform and analyzed using SPSS® software, version 20.Results: A total of 53,452 hospitalizations were recorded, with 135 patients presenting positive urine cultures. Of these, 68.9% (n=93) had multidrug-resistant (MDR) microorganisms and 31.1% (n=42) had sensitive microorganisms. There was a predominance of elderly women, hospital stays longer than 15 days, and ICU admissions. Patients with MDR-positive urine cultures had significantly higher antimicrobial costs compared to those with sensitive cultures (median R$ 75.71 vs. R$ 50.93; p < 0.001).Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms in urinary infections, especially among elderly women, with clinical impact and increased costs, mainly related to antimicrobial therapy.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Sidnei Dias Silva, Nayane Laine Paglione Dias, Susany Franciely Pimenta, Caio Ferreira de Oliveira, Angela Maffi Paiva, Marcio Aram Vacamoreno Paiva Maffi
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