Introduction:

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are caused by the proliferation of microorganisms in any part of the urinary system, with or without clinical symptoms. Older adults may have UTIs with specific characteristics.

Objective:

To determine the clinical characteristics and treatment of UTIs in people over 60 years of age who attended the emergency department of the National Hospital, Itauguá, Paraguay, in the period 2023-2024.

Materials and Methods:

An observational, descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted. Patients with clinical symptoms of UTIs were included. Medical records were reviewed, and the variables of age, sex, reason for consultation, urine culture, identified germ, and indicated treatment were measured.

Results:

Two hundred seven medical records were included, 53.6% of which were men. The most frequent reason for consultation was generalized weakness (37.68%). Only 25.6% underwent urine culture, with Escherichia coli being the most frequent germ (50.9%). The most commonly prescribed antibiotic was ceftriaxone (45.7%).

Conclusion:

UTIs in older adults often present with atypical symptoms. E. coli was the predominant pathogen. These findings can guide therapeutic decisions that are more in line with reality and improve the clinical approach in this vulnerable population.

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