Approximately 50% of women experience urinary tract infections (UTIs) throughout their lives..
In 20-40% of these women, infections recur periodically, which increases the risk of serious complications, according to the online publication for girls and women from 14 to 35 years old Pannochka. net Against this background, a new discovery by American scientists, who suggested that NSAID pain medications can prevent UTI, is especially relevant..
Researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine, St. Louis, present their results at the annual meeting of the American Society of Microbiology.
They found that suppression of the type 2 cyclooxygenase immune protein (COX-2), which is associated with an inflammatory response, can prevent recurring urinary tract infections in mice. Scientists explain that COX-2 can be blocked with NSAIDs, such as naproxen or ibuprofen.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), urinary tract infections are the reason for 4 million outpatient visits to American clinics annually.
Most UTIs are caused by the bacterium Escherichiacoli, which normally lives in the intestines.. Men also suffer from UTIs, but women are especially prone to these infections due to the anatomical features of the genitourinary tract - women have a much shorter urethra, which allows bacteria to reach the bladder more easily, and the entrance to the urethra is closer to the anus.
With each new relapse of urinary tract infections, the likelihood of infectious complications such as sepsis increases. In previous studies in mice, the team of Dr. Thomas Hannan showed that the immune system’s response to the pathogen is too acute during the first infection, and this is what makes the body vulnerable in the future..
“We thought that patients with recurrent urinary tract infections had too weak a immune system, but we learned that it’s not so simple. A too strong immune system can also be a problem, ”Hannan said..
He and his team discovered that immune cells called neutrophils are associated with repeated infections in mice.. Neutrophils leave a mark in the protective sheath of the bladder when they get there and fight infection.
Such damage can be a loophole for bacteria that re-enter the bladder and initiate a more serious infection, which is harder to fight.
COX-2 inhibitors reduce susceptibility to UTI.
By controlling the intensity of the neutrophilic reaction in mice, scientists were able to completely “clear” the bladder of bacteria and minimize the risk of UTI in the future.
They confirmed that mice with increased susceptibility to repeated urinary tract infections had more inflammatory molecules in their bladder than healthy rodents.
But when mice were treated with COX-2 inhibitors, they became much more resistant to recurring urinary tract infections..
After studying the effect of COX-2 inhibitors on the immune response in the bladder, researchers found that neutrophils continued to penetrate into the bladder in large quantities, but caused significantly less damage to the mucous membrane.
Based on these results, the team concluded that COX-2 inhibitors are able to selectively eliminate the negative effects of inflammation, while maintaining the protective response necessary for the body.
Lead author of the study Scott Hultgren, director of the Center for the Study of Female Infectious Diseases at the University of Washington, said these results are “inspirational” and that scientists “hope to test the beneficial effects of COX-2 inhibitors in an upcoming clinical trial.”.
Hannan summed up:
“If we confirm this connection in a clinical trial, many people will be able to quickly benefit.. But today it is very important to remember that UTIs are serious diseases that require antibiotic treatment. Patients should not treat these infections on their own, without the help of a specialist. ”.
In 2013, medical publications reported that cranberry powder was able to suppress the bacterium Proteus mirabilis, which often causes complicated UTI.
medbe. ru.