Millions of Americans suffer from diabetes. Although diabetes is well-known to be a major risk factor for the development of heart disease, kidney disease, eye disease and amputations, diabetes can also make patients more susceptible to urinary tract infections. Infections in the urinary tract often cause pain and uncomfortable symptoms.
Diabetes
High blood sugars can be a result of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The pancreas produces a hormone called insulin, which helps to transport glucose from the bloodstream into tissue cells to be utilized as energy. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas is unable to produce sufficient amounts of insulin. In contrast, type 2 diabetes is a result of an impaired response to insulin by cells.
Increased Urine Glucose
Excess glucose is filtered in the kidneys and results in significantly higher urine glucose concentrations when compared to the urine of non-diabetics. Filtered glucose attracts water into the renal tubules, which can increase the urge and frequency of urination. High glucose concentrations in the urine provide an abundant source of nutrients for bacteria, which can proliferate and cause an infection.
Diabetes Raises Risk of UTI
According to an article published in "Diabetes Care" in 2000, Dutch researchers S.E. Geerlings and colleagues examined the association between diabetes and urinary tract infections. The results showed that 20 percent of the women who either had type 1 or type 2 diabetes developed a urinary tract infection during the 18-month study period. Besides increased urine glucose, diabetes may increase the risk of urinary tract infections through additional mechanisms, including impaired immune cell delivery, inefficient white blood cells and inhibition of bladder contractions that allow urine to remain stagnant in the bladder.
Symptoms of UTI
Symptoms of urinary tract infections often include, pain while voiding, blood in the urine, and increased urgency and frequency of urination. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, and pain in the back and rib region. Urinary tract infections may be diagnosed from symptoms alone or in conjunction with laboratory analysis of a urine sample.
Complications of UTI
If left untreated, bladder infections can migrate to the kidneys and cause permanent renal damage. Diabetes often increases the risk of recurrent urinary tract infections. Recurrent urinary tract infections may be difficult to treat and may require the use of prophylactic antibiotics. Although urinary tract infections can resolve on their own, most patients require the use of antibiotics to shorten the duration of symptoms and eradicate the infection. This is especially true in diabetics since the disease promotes an environment ideal for bacterial growth in the urine. Patients should contact a physician if they have concerns regarding a urinary tract infection.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Diabetes
- National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Urinary Tract Infections in Adults
- DiabetesInControl.com: Diabetes and Urinary Tract Infections: The Case Against a Pre-emptive Strike
- "Diabetes Care"; Risk factors for symptomatic urinary tract infection in women with diabetes; S.E. Geerlings et al., in association with Diabetes Women Asymptomatic Bacteriuria Utrecht Study Group; Dec. 2000.
