Case Study: The story of Crispina
A 68-year-old female with recurrent “urinary tract infection”/cystitis
The Crispina is a 68-year-old female patient with a two-year history of “recurrent urinary tract infection” (UTI)/cystitis. She has had two positive cultures and 10 negatives. Courses of antibiotics have provided some relief at times, but other times have had no effect.
She presents for an ongoing episode over the past two weeks in which she has been experiencing frequency (every 30–60 minutes during the day), a constant urge, voiding five times prior to falling asleep, and waking three times each night. She experiences significant dysuria and suprapubic (SP) pain with bladder fullness. She has not experienced any episodes of incontinence.
Although she describes this as a “flare,” she has had similar but slightly less intense symptoms on a daily basis for the past two years. She is accompanied at this visit by her daughter, who is demanding answers about what is wrong with her family member.
Question: What is your role as a healthcare worker in this situation?