Prevalence and Predictors of Urinary Tract Infections among Children with Cerebral Palsy in Makurdi, Nigeria

Abstract EN

Background.

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) are prone to urinary tract infection (UTI).

Methods/Objectives.

The prevalence and the predictors of UTI among children with CP were compared to age- and sex-matched children without CP at Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, Nigeria, from December 2011 to May 2013.

Results.

The age range was between 2 and 15 years with a mean age of 8.63±3.83 years including 30 males and 22 females.

UTI was confirmed in 20 (38.5%) CP children compared to 2 children (3.8%) without CP (P value 0.000).

Among CP children, Escherichia coli was the commonest organism isolated in 9 (9/20, 45.0%), Streptococcus faecalis in 4 (20.0%), and Staphylococcus aureus in 3 (15%), while both Proteus spp.

and Klebsiella spp.

were isolated in 2 children (10.0%) each.

Escherichia coli was also found in the 2 children without CP.

All the organisms were resistant to cotrimoxazole, nalidixic acid, nitrofurantoin, and amoxiclav, while they were 100% sensitive to ceftriaxone and the quinolones.

In a univariate regression analysis, only moderate to severe gross motor dysfunction predicted the risk of UTI (OR=54.81, 95% CI, 2.27–1324.00, P value 0.014).

Conclusion.

Efforts should be put in place to aid mobility among CP children in order to reduce the risk of UTI.