Prevention of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria with Cranberries and Roselle Juice in Home-care Patients with Long-term Urinary Catheterization

Background: This research investigated the effect of drinking Roselle tea and cranberry juice in preventing asymptomatic bacteriuria in home care patients with long-term indwelling catheter. Methods: The research participants were divided into three groups: Roselle tea group, cranberry juice group, and control group. Urinalysis, urine culture, and biochemical blood tests were performed for all patients. The research lasted for 6 months, and the aforementioned three tests were conducted prior to, 3 months after, and 6 months after the research had started. We compared the effect of drinking cranberry juice and Roselle tea in reducing urinary tract infection. Results: The results of the urinalysis, urine culture, and biochemical blood tests in the three groups did not show any significant difference. Furthermore, Roselle tea and cranberry juice did not effectively reduce urinary tract infection as compared with the control group in patients with long-term indwelling catheter. Conclusion: Based on our results, neither Roselle tea nor cranberry juice was able to reduce the frequency of asymptomatic bacteriuria. It is inferred that cranberry juice or Roselle tea can only be used in ordinary day health care for the urinary tract. Copyright (C) 2014, Taiwan Society of Geriatric Emergency & Critical Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC. All rights reserved.