Bladder, kidney infections share risk factors
Tuesday, January 4, 2005

SEATTLE, Jan 04, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- Seattle researchers found the same factors that put women at risk for simple urinary tract infections might make them susceptible to kidney infections.

Senior investigator at Group Health Cooperative's Center for Health Studies Delia Scholes and colleagues at the University of Washington found the same risk factors for bladder infections applied to those with kidney infections in women under age 50.

The risk factors were: frequent (more than three times per week) sexual intercourse in the previous 30 days, a recent urinary tract infection, a new sex partner in the previous year, having a mother with a history of urinary tract infections and recent spermicide use.

In addition, the researchers found a higher risk of kidney infection among women with a history of incontinence and diabetes.

"The incontinence finding is still a bit of a puzzle," said Scholes. "More research will be needed to understand the type of incontinence that is associated with kidney infections, as well as whether incontinence typically occurred before or after the kidney infection symptoms. The role of diabetes also warrants further study."

The findings are published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.