Abstract
Objective:
To determine the frequency of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and identify associated risk factors.
Design:
Cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study:
The study took place at the Outpatient Nephrology Department, Indus Hospital & Health Network, Karachi, Pakistan for six months.
Methodology:
A total of 214 adult patients aged 18–80 years with diagnosed CKD were enrolled using consecutive sampling. Demographic data, comorbidities, CKD stage, laboratory findings, and ultrasonographic parameters were recorded. Midstream urine samples were collected for culture. Estimated glomerular filtration rate was calculated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation, which is widely used for staging CKD and assessing renal function. ASB was defined as growth of ≥10⁵ colony-forming units/mL of a single organism without urinary symptoms. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Chi-square and independent t-tests were applied. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.
Results:
Among 214 patients, 49 (22.9%) had asymptomatic bacteriuria, while 11 (5.1%) had symptomatic urinary tract infection. Female gender (OR=4.20, p<0.001), diabetes mellitus (OR=2.40, p=0.008), significant post-void residual volume (OR=2.90, p=0.006), and serum creatinine rise ≥30% (OR=2.39, p=0.044) were significantly associated with ASB. The highest prevalence (34.4%) was observed in CKD stage 4.
Conclusion:
Asymptomatic bacteriuria is common among CKD patients, particularly in females and those with advanced CKD. Targeted screening in high-risk groups may be beneficial.