Prevalence of and factors associated with atypical presentation in bacteremic urinary tract infection

A delay in the diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) is not uncommon. Atypical presentation is often cited as one of the causes of diagnostic delays. However, few studies have investigated the prevalence of atypical presentation and determined factors associated with atypical presentation at initial contact among patients with UTI. Therefore, a retrospective and prospective cohort study using chart review was conducted in two acute care hospitals. We included 285 consecutive patients hospitalized for bacteremic UTI. The primary outcome was atypical presentation, defined as the absence of any urinary tract symptom or sign at initial contact. Of all patients, the median age was 82 years, 186 (65.3%) were women, and 53 (18.6%) had dementia. Urinary tract symptoms and signs were absent at initial contact in 144 patients (50.5%; 95% CI 44.7–56.4%). The multivariable analysis revealed that older age, male sex, dementia, and early visit from symptom onset were significantly associated with an increased risk of atypical presentation. Patients with atypical presentation were less likely to receive a correct diagnosis at initial contact than patients with urinary tract symptoms and signs (OR 0.30; 95% CI 0.17–0.51). Atypical presentation in patients with bacteremic UTI is common and negatively affects the correct diagnosis of UTI.