UTI: Complications and Diagnosis

If a urinary tract infection (UTI) is managed properly, it usually resolves without any complications. However, untreated UTIs, especially upper urinary tract infections, can lead to serious consequences. Therefore, prompt and proper diagnosis and management are important factors for a good outcome.

Complications

Untreated urinary tract infections can cause following complications.

• An untreated UTI can lead to an acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term) upper urinary tract infection (pyelonephritis), and consequently, results in permanent kidney damage.

• Recurrent urinary tract infections (it is a common problem, especially among women, who got three or more episodes of UTIs.)

• Untreated UTIs can increase the risk of delivering premature or low birth-weight infants.

Who Is at Risk of UTI?

Certain factors can increase the risk of developing a urinary tract infection (UTI). Some risk factors can be modified while others cannot be changed. However, certain lifestyle modifications and measures help lower the risk for UTI.

Being female

Urinary tract infections are common among females compared to males. The distance between the urethral opening and the bladder is shorter in women than in men. Therefore, their urethra increases the ability of bacteria to enter the bladder. The anus and the urethra are also situated within close proximity in females than males. It also raises the risk of UTI among women.

Urinary Tract Infection: Causes

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) usually occur due to bacteria, which enter the urinary tract via the urethra. Certain bacteria from the own bowel flora, live on the skin around the perineum. They can ascend and multiply in the urethra and the bladder. Sometimes, the bacteria can spread from the blood stream or the lymphatics to the urinary tract.

The urinary tract is designed to avoid the invading bacteria. Sometimes, these defence mechanisms can fail. Therefore, bacteria grow in the urinary tract, causing a UTI. There are several defence mechanisms to avoid urinary tract infections. They are:

How to Recognise a Urinary Tract Infection?

An infection, which occurs in any part of the urinary tract, is known as a urinary tract infection (UTI). It can take place in the urethra, bladder, ureters, and kidneys. The majority of urinary tract infections involve the lower part of the urinary tract (the bladder and the urethra). UTI is common in women compared to men. It usually occurs in an anatomically normal urinary tract in females. It is uncommon in children and men. Their infections are often associated with an abnormal urinary tract. Therefore, they need further investigation.

How to Manage Pre-diabetes in Children?

Pre-diabetes is a well-known risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Pre-diabetes and diabetes are also strongly linked with obesity. Therefore, prevention of this condition includes maintenance of a healthy body weight to avoid obesity. If an adult with pre-diabetes follows lifestyle modifications and takes medications to avoid diabetes mellitus, reduction in the risk has been noted(1). However, none of the studies has demonstrated how to avoid the progression of pre-diabetes to diabetes in adolescents and children so far.

If your child has pre-diabetes, certain lifestyle modifications will help bring the blood-sugar level to normal. They will at least prevent the progression to diabetes mellitus.

Is Your Child at Risk of Pre-diabetes?

Pre-diabetes is one of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus. Some health-care experts consider pre-diabetes as a disease. Certain adults (five to ten per cent) with this condition normally advance to type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, adolescents and children with pre-diabetes have an ability to return to normal than adults.

Certain factors increase the risk of pre-diabetes in children. They include both modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors.