Urologie pro praxi 1/2023

D-mannose in preventing recurrent urinary tract infections

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are frequent diseases, particularly in women. Acute simple cystitis poses no serious medical problem. However, a recurrent UTI, defined as the occurrence of two UTIs in six months, or three UTIs per year, decreases the quality of life of patients and leads to repeated antibiotic use. Daily routine measures and long-term prophylaxis with low-dose antibiotics or their targeted use in at-risk situations, e. g., prior to sexual intercourse or during hormonal changes, are recommended as methods of preventing recurrent UTIs. With long-term antibiotic use, patients may experience unpleasant adverse effects of this treatment and, what is more, the risk of growing bacterial resistance is increased. For this reason, the use of non-antimicrobial drugs is currently recommended. These methods of preventing recurrent UTIs also include the use of D-mannose.

Keywords: D-mannose, lower urinary tract infection, cystitis, recurrent urinary tract infection, non-antibiotic prophylaxis.