Pyelonephritis medical therapy

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Abdurahman Khalil, M.D. [2]

Overview

As practically all cases of pyelonephritis are due to bacterial infections, antibiotics are the mainstay of treatment. Mild cases may be treated with oral therapy, but generally intravenous antibiotics are required for the initial stages of treatment. The type of antibiotic depends on local practice, and may include fluoroquinolones (e.g. ciprofloxacin), beta-lactam antibiotics (e.g. amoxicillin or acephalosporin), trimethoprim (or co-trimoxazole) or nitrofurantoin. Aminoglycosides are avoided due to their toxicity, but may be added for a short duration.

Principles of Therapy for Acute Pyelonephritis

• Before starting treatment for suspected pyelonephritis, a urine culture and susceptibility test should be done in order to select the empirical antimicrobial that covers the causing organism.

• When the patient fails to response to oral out patient treatment, or shows signs of severe illness/sepsis like high fever, high WBC, nausa or vomiting, dehydration; it's required to change to inpatient treatment, intravenous fluids may be administered to compensate for the reduced oral intake, insensible losses (due to the raised temperature) and vasodilation and to maximize urine output.

Empiric Therapy Adapted from Clin Infect Dis. 2011;52(5):e103-20.

Acute Pyelonephritis, Outpatient Preferred Regimen ▸ Ciprofloxacin 500 mg PO q12h x 7 days ± Ciprofloxacin 400 mg IV x 1 dose OR ▸ Ciprofloxacin XR 1000 mg PO q24h for 7 days OR ▸ Levofloxacin 750 mg PO q24h for 5 days PLUS (if fluoroquinolone resistance >10%) ▸ Ceftriaxone 1 g IV x 1 dose OR ▸ Gentamicin 7 mg/kg IV x 1 dose OR ▸ Tobramycin 7 mg/kg IV x 1 dose OR ▸ Amikacin 20 mg/kg IV x 1 dose Alternative Regimen 1 ▸ TMP/SMZ 160/800 mg PO q12h x 14 days PLUS (if TMP/SMZ resistance unknown) ▸ Ceftriaxone 1 g IV x 1 dose OR ▸ Gentamicin 7 mg/kg IV x 1 dose OR ▸ Tobramycin 7 mg/kg IV x 1 dose OR ▸ Amikacin 20 mg/kg IV x 1 dose Alternative Regimen 2 ▸ Amoxicillin–Clavulanate 500/125 mg PO q12h x 14 days OR ▸ Amoxicillin–Clavulanate 250/125 mg PO q8h x 5–7 days OR ▸ Cefaclor 500 mg PO q8h x 7 days PLUS ▸ Ceftriaxone 1 g IV x 1 dose OR ▸ Gentamicin 7 mg/kg IV x 1 dose OR ▸ Tobramycin 7 mg/kg IV x 1 dose OR ▸ Amikacin 20 mg/kg IV x 1 dose

Acute Pyelonephritis, Inpatient Preferred Regimen ▸ Ciprofloxacin 400 mg IV q12h OR ▸ Levofloxacin 750 mg IV q24h Alternative Regimen 1 ▸ Gentamicin 7 mg/kg IV q24h ± Ampicillin 500 mg IV q6h OR ▸ Tobramycin 7 mg/kg IV q24h ± Ampicillin 500 mg IV q6h OR ▸ Amikacin 20 mg/kg IV q24h ± Ampicillin 500 mg IV q6h Alternative Regimen 2 ▸ Cefotaxime 1–2 gm IV q8h OR ▸ Ceftriaxone 1 gm IV q24h OR ▸ Ceftazidime 2 gm IV q8h OR ▸ Ampicillin-Sulbactam 1.5 g IV q6h OR ▸ Piperacillin-Tazobactam 3.375 gm IV q4–6h OR ▸ Ticarcillin-Clavulanate 3.1 gm IV q4–6h WITH OR WITHOUT ▸ Gentamicin 7 mg/kg IV q24h OR ▸ Tobramycin 7 mg/kg IV q24h OR ▸ Amikacin 20 mg/kg IV q24h Alternative Regimen 3 ▸ Meropenem 500 mg IV q8h OR ▸ Ertapenem 1 g IV q24h OR ▸ Doripenem 500 mg IV q8h OR ▸ Aztreonam 1 g IV q8–12h Antibiotics should be administered for at least 10–14 days based on local resistance pattern. Switch to oral formulations 24–48 hours after fever resolution may be considered.