Table 1

Characteristics of the trials comparing short with standard duration antibiotic therapy in UTI

First author, Year, Country, Source	Patients entered	Patients evaluated	Inclusion criteria	Antibiotics used	Outcomes	Length of study
*Mid stream urine or clean catch urine collection. †Suprapubic bladder aspiration urine collection. ‡Strap-on bag urine collection. §Trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole. ¶Third group of study by Copenhagen Study Group not included in results.
OPD, outpatient department; ED, emergency department.
Wientzen,²⁶ 1979, USA, OPD	57	52	Symptomatic UTI. Children with ≥3 UTI in previous year excluded. Age 0.25–16 y. MSU*, SPA†, bag‡ samples.	Amoxycillin 4 days versus 10 days	UTI any time after treatment	12 months

Lohr,²⁵ 1981, USA, OPD	55	49	Girls with symptomatic UTI. Age 2–18 y. MSU samples.	Nitrofurantoin 3 days versus 10 days	UTI 0–7 days after treatment	6 months
					UTI during next 6 months

Helin,²⁴ 1981, Sweden, OPD	43	43	Symptomatic UTI. Age 0.25–16 y. Bag, MSU samples.	Trimethoprim/sulphadiazine 4 days versus 10 days	UTI at end of treatment	12 months
					UTI during next 12 months

Zaki,²³ 1986, Kuwait, Not stated	55	(a) 26	Symptomatic UTI. Children with UTI in previous 6 months excluded. Age 0.5–13 y. Collection method not stated.	(a) Nalidixic acid 3 days versus 10 days	UTI 2–3 days after treatment	3 months
		(b) 29		(b) TMP/SMX§ 3 days versus 10 days	UTI at 1–3 months

Madrigal,²² 1988, Costa Rica, OPD	104	90	Symptomatic UTI. Children with recurrent UTI excluded.	TMP/SMX 3 days versus 7 days	UTI 10–12 days after therapy	44 days
			Age 0.25–12 y. MSU, SPA, catheter urine samples.		UTI at 28–37 days

CSG,²¹ 1991, Denmark, OPD	333	(a) 96	Girls with symptomatic & asymptomatic UTI. Age 1–15 y. MSU samples.	(a) Sulphamethizole 3 days	UTI 1–10 days after treatment	80 days
		(b) 78		(b) Sulphamethizole 10 days	UTI at 1 month or more
		(c) 90¶		(c) Pivmecillinam 3 days	Resistant organisms

Jojart,²⁰ 1991, Hungary, Not stated	132	(a) 43	Symptomatic & asymptomatic UTI. Children with UTI >3 months earlier could be re-entered to other therapy.	(a) Nitrofurantoin 3 days versus 14 days	UTI at 28–36 days after treatment	36 days
		(b) 44	Age 1.5–9 y. Collection method not stated.	(b) TMP/SMX 3 days versus 10 days

Gaudreault,¹⁹ 1992, Canada, ED	45	40	Symptomatic UTI. Children with UTI in previous 6 months excluded. Age 2.5–18 y. MSU samples.	Trimethoprim/sulphadiazine 3 days versus 10 days	UTI at end of treatment	38 days
					UTI < 28 days after treatment
					Resistant organisms

Johnson,¹⁸ 1993, USA, OPD	48	37	Symptomatic UTI. Age 1–13 y. MSU, SPA, catheter samples.	Amoxicillin/clavulinic acid 3 days versus 10 days	UTI 4 days after treatment	33 days
					UTI 30–47 days after therapy
					Resistant organisms

Kornberg,¹⁷ 1994, USA, ED & OPD	38	25	Symptomatic UTI. UTI in last 30 days excluded.	Cefuroxime 2 days versus 10 days	UTI 3–5 days after treatment	15 months
			Age 2–11 y. MSU, catheter samples.		UTI at 1 –15 months