Nitrofurantoin and cranberry products could decrease risk of UTI episodes in pediatric patients: Study

The prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) in children has long been a complex challenge for the medical community. A recent research published in the Pediatrics Journal found that specific prophylactic measures, including the use of nitrofurantoin and cranberry products, may offer significant benefits in reducing symptomatic UTI episodes in pediatric patients.

The systematic review analyzed data from major electronic databases including PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library up to November 26, 2023. This review and meta-analysis of 23 randomized controlled trials encompassed a total of 3,335 participants to identify the most effective options for preventing recurrent UTIs and minimizing future complications such as kidney scarring. The primary metric was the incidence of symptomatic UTI in children during prophylactic treatment. Mean differences and standard deviations were used to evaluate continuous outcomes, while odds ratios were calculated for dichotomous outcomes.

The analysis revealed that both cranberry products and nitrofurantoin significantly reduced the odds of symptomatic UTI episodes when compared to control groups and alternative prophylactic treatments.

• Cranberry Products: These natural supplements were found to effectively lower the recurrence rate of symptomatic UTIs during the study period when compared to placebo or no treatment.
• Nitrofurantoin: This antibiotic emerged as the most effective intervention by outperforming other options such as trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim alone in reducing the incidence of UTIs.