Urinary tract infections and associated factors among patients with an enlarged prostate at a tertiary hospital, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: a hospital-based cross-sectional study

Objectives The objectives are to determine the prevalence of urinary tract infection (UTI) and associated factors among patients diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer.Design Hospital-based cross-sectional study.Settings Urology clinic and urology ward at Muhimbili National Hospital, which is the main tertiary hospital in Tanzania’s largest city.Participants Patients with benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer presenting with genitourinary symptoms.Main outcome measure The primary outcome was the occurrence of UTI and factors associated with UTI in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer.Results 402 participants were enrolled, with a median age of 68 years and IQR of 61–75 years. The proportion of UTI was 46.5% (95% CI 41.56% to 51.53%). UTI was more prevalent among inpatients, patients with indwelling urinary catheters, patients with prostate size>80 cm3 and those with residual urine volume of >100 mL. In multivariate analysis, age>60 years (adjusted OR (aOR)=2.0, 95% CI 1.13 to 3.55, p=0.018), post-void residual urine volume>100 mL (aOR 1.32, 95% CI 0.67 to 2.59 p=0.001), patient with incomplete bladder emptying (aOR=2.57, 95% CI 1.44 to 4.59, p=0.001) and prolonged catheter duration (aOR=1.24, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.38, p=0.005) were significantly associated with UTI.Conclusion Almost half of the patients with an enlarged prostate and genitourinary symptoms had a laboratory-confirmed UTI. The risk of UTI increases with age, incomplete bladder emptying and increased duration of catheterisation. A 1-day increase in the duration of catheterisation increased the risk of UTI by 24%.