Assessment of potentially unnecessary antibiotic use for suspected urinary tract infections in nursing homes using a simplified algorithm.

Background: Nursing home (NH) residents are frequently treated with antibiotics for urinary tract infections (UTIs), often due to overdiagnosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the proportion of potentially unnecessary antibiotic use for suspected UTIs in NHs across eight European countries.

Research design and methods: Over a three-month period (February to April 2024), NH professionals recorded information on all antibiotic treatments for UTIs using a specific registration chart. Based on medical literature and the expertise of the project consortium members, the authors developed and endorsed by consensus a simplified algorithm to assess unnecessary antibiotic use in residents without indwelling catheters.

Results: The study, conducted across 110 NHs, included 2773 antibiotic-treated infections. Of these, 1158 (41.8%) were treated for UTIs. Among 975 UTI cases without catheters, 54.1% may have been unnecessarily treated. Over one-third involved nonspecific symptoms including poor general condition and changes in urine appearance, while specific urinary symptoms, such as incontinence (21.3%) and dysuria (20.8%), were less common. A trend toward greater, potentially unnecessary antibiotic use was observed when urine dipsticks were performed.

Conclusions: The findings reveal potentially unnecessary antibiotic use. Further algorithm validation is needed to enhance diagnostic criteria, reduce overuse, and improve UTI management in NHs.