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10.3: Predisposing Factors

  • Page ID
    15628
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    General Factors

    • Females
    • Elderly
    • Diabetes mellitus: The glucose in urine is a good culture medium for organisms. Diabetes also impairs the function of white blood cells and diabetic autonomic neuropathy may cause a lower motor neuron neuropathic bladder with poor bladder emptying.
    • Immunocompromised patients:
      • malnutrition
      • HIV/AIDS
      • cancer
      • chemotherapy
      • immunosuppression
    • Analgesic abuse
      • can cause papillary necrosis

    Local Factors

    Any condition that impairs the normal flow of urine, or interferes with normal emptying can predispose to infection.

    • Obstruction of upper tracts (kidneys and ureters)
      • stones
      • PUJ obstruction
      • sloughed papillae (diabetics)
    • Bladder outflow obstruction
      • urethral stricture
      • post mid-urethral tape surgery
    • Neuropathic bladder
    • Vesico-ureteric reflux
    • Foreign bodes in urinary tract
      • bladder catheter
      • double J ureteric stent
    • Urological “procedures”
      • cystoscopy
      • urodynamics
    • Vesico colic fistula
    • Pregnancy
    • Vaginal infections

    This page titled 10.3: Predisposing Factors is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 2.5 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Stephen Jeffery and Peter de Jong via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.