Uncomplicated urinary tract infection in women. Current practice and the effect of antibiotic resistance on empiric treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To review treatment recommendations for empiric therapy of uncomplicated urinary tract infection (uUTI) in light of evolving antibiotic resistance and to consider use of guidelines to promote optimal practice. QUALITY OF EVIDENCE: PubMed was searched and additional relevant references were identified by reviewing articles found in the search. Guidelines were identified through discussion with family practitioners. Level of evidence was assessed for recommendations. MAIN MESSAGE: Many women have uUTIs. The treatment approach is usually empiric antimicrobial therapy without obtaining pretherapy cultures. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is standard first-line empiric treatment. While resistance to this drug is increasing, it remains only about 10% in community-acquired Escherichia coli in Canada. Concerns about increased resistance have contributed to greater use of fluoroquinolones, but widespread empiric use of this class of medications might promote resistance to fluoroquinolones. Hence, fluoroquinolones should not be considered first-line therapy. While guidelines for treatment of uUTIs have been developed, their usefulness is compromised by their conflicting recommendations. CONCLUSION: Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and nitrofurantoin remain first-choice empiric therapy for uUTIs. Development of guidelines relevant to family physicians and community education programs that incorporate local susceptibility patterns are important strategies for promoting optimal practice.

Primary carcinoma of the rectovaginal septum diagnosed as uterine prolapse.

BACKGROUND: Primary carcinoma of the rectovaginal septum is very rare. Most cases are associated with documented endometriosis, and patients will often present with vaginal or rectal bleeding. CASE: A 47-year-old woman presented to the emergency department complaining of urinary symptoms and "something falling out of the vagina." She was diagnosed initially as having uterine prolapse. However, further investigations and surgery showed that she had a primary papillary serous carcinoma of the rectovaginal septum, and the carcinoma later metastasized to the lymph nodes. No evidence of endometriosis was found. Assessment and subsequent treatment of this aggressive tumour was likely delayed because of its initial benign presentation. CONCLUSION: Our presentation of the case of a woman with primary carcinoma of the rectovaginal septum not associated with a focus of endometriosis shows that this rare aggressive cancer may present in a clinically benign fashion.