Treatment options for acute uncomplicated cystitis in adults

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is classified as uncomplicated if it occurs in a patient with a structurally and functionally normal urinary tract. Acute uncomplicated cystitis is observed chiefly in women. It needs, however, to be differentiated depending on whether it occurs in premenopausal, postmenopausal or pregnant women. Only a small number of 15-50 year old, otherwise healthy men suffer acute uncomplicated cystitis. In premenopausal, non-pregnant women, single-dose antimicrobial therapy is generally less effective than the same antibiotic used for longer duration. However, most antimicrobial agents given for 3 days are as effective as those given for longer duration, and adverse events tend to be found more often with longer treatment. Trimethoprim (or co-trimoxazole) can be recommended as first-line empirical therapy only in communities with resistance rates of uropathogens to trimethoprim of less than or equal to 10-20%. Otherwise fluoroquinolones are recommended. Alternatives are fosfomycin trometamol or beta-lactams, such as second- or third-generation oral cephalosprins or pivmecillinam, especially when fluoroquinolones are contraindicated or a high proportion (>10%) of Escherichia coli strains in the community are already resistant to fluoroquinolones, as in Spain, for example. Recurrent UTIs are common among young, healthy women even though they generally have anatomically and physiologically normal urinary tracts. The following prophylactic antimicrobial regimens are recommended: (i) the use of long-term, low-dose prophylactic antimicrobials taken at bedtime; (ii) post-coital prophylaxis for women in whom episodes of infection are associated with sexual intercourse. Other prophylactic methods are not as yet as effective as antimicrobial prophylaxis.