#134 Urinary Tract Infections Delirium and Voltaire

“Urinary tract infections” (UTIs) are overdiagnosed. Antibiotics are overprescribed. UTIs are inappropriately blamed for geriatric syndromes (eg delirium) despite little supporting evidence. Our guest, Tom Finucane MD, Emeritus Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins makes us question everything. Topics: How can we diagnose “UTI”? Who needs treatment? Do urinary tract symptoms matter? Does malodorous urine correlate with infection? Who’s at risk for pyelonephritis and sepsis? Don’t miss this paradigm changing episode. And stop using the term “urinary tract infection” unless it’s prefaced by air quotes! Sponsor: Join ACP's Internal Medicine Meeting 2019 April 11-13th in Philadelphia, PA . We'll see you there! Full show notes available at http://thecurbsiders.com/podcast. Join our mailing list and receive a PDF copy of our show notes every Monday. Rate us on iTunes, recommend a guest or topic and give feedback at [email protected]. Credits Written and produced by: Matthew Watto MD Hosts: Matthew Watto MD, Paul Williams MD Edited by: Matthew Watto MD Guest: Tom Finucane MD, MACP Time Stamps 00:00 Disclaimer, intro and guest bio 04:00 Guest one liner, book recommendation, career advice 08:22 The “medical ignorome” 13:40 ACP Internal Medicine Meeting 2019 details 16:20 Case of malodorous urine; Urine is NOT sterile; Defining terms 25:14 Stop saying UTI unless using air quotes 28:34 What symptoms or history matters in evaluation for “UTI”? And can we predict who will become systemically ill? 34:47 Voltaire and when treatment is warranted for “urinary tract infections” 37:15 Delirium in an older adult with possible UTI, how to work it up, and who warrants antibiotics 51:55 Take home points 53:38 Outro