A 62-year-old woman presents with a recurrent urinary tract infection.She now has a fever of 104°F and severe costovertebral tenderness with pyuria.What is the appropriate diagnosis and intervention for this patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient's symptoms suggest pyelonephritis, which is a serious infection of the kidney and requires hospitalization for intravenous antibiotics. The severe costovertebral tenderness is a sign of kidney involvement, and the fever and pyuria (presence of pus in urine) further support this diagnosis. Recurrent urinary tract infections may be indicative of underlying structural or functional abnormalities, and further evaluation may be needed after treatment of the acute infection. Septic arthritis, recurrent cystitis, and pelvic inflammatory disease are not consistent with the patient's presentation.

A 62-Year-Old Woman Presents with a Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection