Efficacy of prophylaxis in women with sex induced cystitis.

UNLABELLED: Sexual intercourse has been established as one of the most important risk factors for both isolated and recurrent uncomplicated infections of the urinary tract. Prophylactic therapy requires only a small dose of an antimicrobial agent, which is generally given at bedtime for 6 to 12 months. An alternative method is to give an antimicrobial agent for six months post-intercourse. It is still unknown which of the two methods is most effective. A total of 123 women with suspected sexually induced recurrent cystitis (mean age 28 years, range 15 to 65) and a history of recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) (the last one within the last six months) were subjected to prophylactic therapy for six months. Half of them were treated with low-dose trimethoprim-cotrimoxazole (TMP-SMX) and cefaclor given orally post-intercourse (spontaneous usage), while the other half were treated with low-dose TMP-SMX and cefaclor given at bedtime. The response to the prophylactic therapy was classified as continued cure in 106 cases (86.17%), failure in 13 cases (10.56%), and unknown in four cases (3.25%). TMP-SMX administered in continuous nightly prophylaxis showed similar efficacy and tolerability as cefaclor post-intercourse.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of prophylaxis in women with recurrent sex induced cystitis and compare the post-intercourse versus the conventional bedtime given long-term, low-dose use of prophylactic antimicrobials.