Daily Cranberry Juice for the Prevention of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Pregnancy: A Randomized, Controlled Pilot Study

Received 28 December 2007 published online 15 August 2008.

Refers to article:

A Biphasic Response From Bladder Epithelial Cells Induced by Catheter Material and Bacteria: An In Vitro Study of the Pathophysiology of Catheter Related Urinary Tract Infection , 19 August 2008
Jessica M.T. Barford, Yanmin Hu, Ken Anson, Anthony R.M. Coates
The Journal of Urology
October 2008 (Vol. 180, Issue 4, Pages 1522-1526)
Abstract | Full Text | Full-Text PDF (465 KB)

Purpose

We compared the effects of daily cranberry juice cocktail to those of placebo during pregnancy on asymptomatic bacteriuria and symptomatic urinary tract infections.

Materials and Methods

A total of 188 women were randomized to cranberry or placebo in 3 treatment arms of A—cranberry 3 times daily (58), B—cranberry at breakfast then placebo at lunch and dinner (67), and C—placebo 3 times daily (63). After 27.7% (52 of 188) of the subjects were enrolled in the study the dosing regimens were changed to twice daily dosing to improve compliance.

Results

There were 27 urinary tract infections in 18 subjects in this cohort, with 6 in 4 group A subjects, 10 in 7 group B subjects and 11 in 7 group C subjects (p = 0.71). There was a 57% and 41% reduction in the frequency of asymptomatic bacteriuria and all urinary tract infections, respectively, in the multiple daily dosing group. However, this study was not sufficiently powered at the alpha 0.05 level (CI 0.14–1.39 and 0.22–1.60, respectively, incidence rate ratios). Of 188 subjects 73 (38.8%) withdrew, most for gastrointestinal upset.

Conclusions

These data suggest there may be a protective effect of cranberry ingestion against asymptomatic bacteriuria and symptomatic urinary tract infections in pregnancy. Further studies are planned to evaluate this effect.

Key Words: urinary tract infections, bacteriuria, vaccinium macrocarpon, pregnancy

Abbreviations and Acronyms: ASB, asymptomatic bacteriuria, CJC, cranberry juice cocktail, IRR, incidence rate ratio, LBMMC, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, NCCAM, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, UCI, University of California, Irvine, UTI, urinary tract infection

a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, Irvine, Orange, California

b Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and Miller's Children's Hospital, Long Beach, California

Correspondence: Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology, University of California, Irvine, 101 The City Drive South, Suite 800, Bldg. 56, Orange, California 92868 (telephone: 714-456-5967; FAX: 714-456-7754)

Study received institutional review board approval.

Supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases R21DK65827-01 and NCCAM NOT-CA-02-014.

Clinical Trials Registration NCT00093938.

For another article on a related topic see page 1522.

† Financial interest and/or other relationship with National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

PII: S0022-5347(08)01547-4

doi:10.1016/j.juro.2008.06.016

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