Urinary tract infections in an American rehabilitation hospital.

In order to gain a better understanding of urinary tract infection in a rehabilitation hospital, the hospital courses of 119 consecutively admitted patients were studied. Bacteriuria on admission and subsequent incidence of urinary tract infection occurred chiefly among those patients with diagnoses involving peripheral vascular disease and low level of function (Barthel Index) on admission assessment. Females and diabetics among that group were particularly at risk. It was concluded that by using admission screening for detection of bacteriuria and level of function, the members of the high risk group could be predicted, and early urology consultation for bladder training programmes could be focused on those patients who might derive the most benefit.