Quinolones are most commonly prescribed class for UTIs

Quinolones have surpassed sulfas as the most common class of antibiotics prescribed for isolated outpatient UTI in women, and this growth raises concerns about increases in resisitance, suggest the authors of an article published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (2006; 166:635-9).

Researchers from the VA Medical Center, White River Junction, VT, and Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH used the 2000-2002 National Ambulatory Medical Case Survey and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to obtain data on antibiotics prescribed for women with isolated outpatient UTIs. Logistic regression was used to determine predictors or quinolone use.

The team found that quinolones were more commonly prescribed than sulfa antibiotics in each year evaluated. In the most recent year evaluated, quinolones were prescribed in 48% and sulfas in 33% of UTI visits (p<.04). Quinolones were significantly more likely to be prescribed to older patients, but there was no difference in quinolone prescribing when evaluating insurance status, setting, race, ethnicity, health care provider type, and year. Approximately one-third of the quinolones used were broader-spectrum agents.

“This pervasive growth in quinolone use raises concerns about increases in resistance to this important class of antibiotics,” the authors wrote.