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Among older women residing in nursing homes, administration of cranberry capsules compared with placebo resulted in no significant difference in presence of bacteriuria plus pyuria (presence of bacteria and white blood cells in the urine, a sign of urinary tract infection [UTI]), or in the number of episodes of UTIs over 1 year, according to a study published online by JAMA. The study is being released to coincide with its presentation at IDWeek 2016.
Urinary tract infection is the most commonly diagnosed infection among nursing home residents. Bacteriuria is prevalent in 25 percent to 50 percent of women living in nursing homes, and pyuria is present in 90 percent of those with bacteriuria. Cranberry capsules are an understudied, nonantimicrobial prevention strategy used in this population. Manisha Juthani-Mehta, M.D., of the Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn., and colleagues randomly assigned 185 women (average age, 86 years; with or without bacteriuria plus pyuria at study entry) residing in nursing homes to two oral cranberry capsules, each capsule containing 36 mg of the active ingredient proanthocyanidin (i.e., 72 mg total, equivalent to 20 ounces of cranberry juice) or placebo administered once a day.
Another folk remedy bites the dust?
(Score: 4, Informative) by AthanasiusKircher on Sunday October 30 2016, @06:49PM
Before someone jumps in with the obvious, "But you can't generalize to the overall population from a study of nursing home women!" please note that this isn't a "new" finding at all. It's following dozens of other studies that have shown this remedy to be ineffective for all populations. (See, for example, this Cochrane review [cochrane.org] of 24 prior studies, which found "There was a small trend towards fewer UTIs in people taking cranberry product compared to placebo or no treatment but this was not a significant finding.")
The few remaining studies that did show a benefit seemed to be about people who had repeated infections and older women. Hence the present study to investigate that group in particular.
...You may now resume your regular critiques of methodology and anecdotes about what Aunt Tilly always swore by.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Sunday October 30 2016, @10:10PM
Was this EVER suggested as a remedy for infections?
I have heard it recommended for kidney stones as a preventative, simply because some of its acidity persists into the urine stream.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Monday October 31 2016, @11:06AM
Yes, I thought it was widely accepted that it is good at clearing up UTIs, probably as a result of some now-debunked study somewhen. I know plenty of people who drink the stuff or give it to their kids (in addition to, rather than instead of, antibiotics) to clear up UTIs.