Suham Adnan Mohmad
Department of Biology, College of Science, Tikrit University, Tikrit, Iraq
Marwa Hassan Abd El Wahab
Department of Biology, College of Science, Tikrit University, Tikrit, Iraq
ABSTRACT
Background: Patients undergoing hemodialysis are at increased risk of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) due to impaired renal function and frequent catheterization. This study aimed to compare the clinical, biochemical, and microbial characteristics of hemodialysis patients with those of non-dialysis patients diagnosed with UTIs. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on two patient cohorts: 35 hemodialysis patients and 35 non-dialysis patients with confirmed UTIs. Data were collected on demographics, recurrent UTI history, family history, biochemical markers (creatinine, blood urea, fasting blood sugar), and bacterial infection types. Statistical comparisons were made using t-tests and chi-square tests. Correlation matrices were visualized through heatmaps. Results: The hemodialysis group demonstrated significantly elevated levels of serum creatinine (9.22 ± 0.75 mg/dL), blood urea (150.94 ± 20.75 mg/dL), and fasting blood sugar (143.71 ± 64.20 mg/dL) compared to the UTI group (p < 0.001 for all). Demographically, the hemodialysis group had a higher mean age (48.69 vs. 35.80 years), was predominantly male, and more commonly from rural areas (p < 0.05). Recurrent UTIs were common in both groups, without significant intergroup difference. Bacterial profiling revealed Escherichia coli as the most frequent pathogen in both groups; however, the hemodialysis group had a higher diversity of pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (p = 0.019). Strong positive correlations were found between creatinine and blood urea in both groups. Conclusion: Hemodialysis patients present a distinct clinical and microbiological profile compared to non-dialysis UTI patients. Elevated biochemical markers and a broader spectrum of bacterial infections underscore the need for tailored infection control and monitoring strategies in dialysis populations.
Keywords: Hemodialysis, Urinary Tract Infection, Creatinine, Blood Urea, Bacterial Infection, Correlation Analysis, Recurrent UTI.
