Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively analyse the secretor status in women with acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis, as non-secretors of histo-blood group antigens are reportedly at risk of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 245 women who had been diagnosed as having acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis in affiliated hospitals over the past 5 years. All women were sent antiseptic swabs, to collect saliva, and a questionnaire to survey their past UTI episodes and menstrual status. Responses with written informed consent were obtained from 106 women (median age 50.5 years, range 17-85). The secretor status was determined using the haemagglutination inhibition assay from the saliva on the swabs. RESULTS: Forty-four (41%) of the women were non-secretors, a significantly higher frequency than in the (control) Japanese population (217 of 960, 22.6%; P< 0.001). The incidence of non-secretors was significantly higher (P < 0.01) in premenopausal (26 of 46, 57%) than in postmenopausal women (18 of 60, 30%). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that non-secretor status is associated with a genetic susceptibility to acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis, especially in premenopausal women.
Ishitoya et al. (Sun,) studied this question.