The use of cranberry juice is suggested for the prevention of recurrent symptomatic urinary tract infections as the first choice over antibiotic prophylaxis.
The recommendation attaches a relatively high value to avoiding the development of antibiotic resistance in the community.
A Cochrane review [Abstract] 3 included 50 studies with a total of 8 857 participants. Cranberry products were effecting for preventing UTIs which cause symptoms in women with frequent UTIs and in children with UTIs (tableT1). Gastrointestinal side effects did not differ between those taking cranberry products and those receiving placebo or no specific treatment (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.77; 10 studies, n=2166; I² = 0%; moderate certainty evidence).
| Outcome: Symptomatic culture-verified UTI | Relative effect (95% CI) | Risk with placebo/control | Risk with intervention - any cranberry product | No. of participants(RCTs) Certainty of the evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women with recurrent UTI | RR 0.74(0.55 to 0.99) | 243 per 1000 | 180 per 1000(134 to 241) | 1555 (8) Moderate |
| Elderly men and women in institutions | RR 0.93(0.67 to 1.30) | 113 per 1000 | 105 per 1000(76 to 147) | 1489 (3) Moderate |
| Children | RR 0.53(0.36 to 0.78) | 289 per 1,000 | 153 per 1,000(104 to 225) | 428 (4) Moderate |
Comment: The certainty of the evidence is downgraded by increased heterogeneity.
Primary/Secondary Keywords