Research area: Infection, Immunity and Global Health > Clinical Infections

Overview

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are very common in children, with 3 per cent having at least one in their lifetime. In most cases children can be treated with antibiotics taken by mouth. But in some children, it can be a bit complicated – like when they are vomiting. Then, we might give antibiotics through a vein, known as intravenous (IV) or drip antibiotics. Some children only get a single dose of IV antibiotics then switch to antibiotics by mouth, while others receive three doses over three days before switching.

Longer courses of IV antibiotics means more days in hospital and more days with a drip in. We want to find out if one dose IV is as good at clearing up urinary tract infections as three doses. If it is, then children could get home earlier. We think that three days after the first dose of IV antibiotics, both groups of children will be better. If we find this, that means one dose IV is as good as three doses.

Information for participants and families

Participating children will be randomly allocated to one of the two treatment arms.

That means that you or your doctor (in the Emergency Department or the ward) cannot choose how many days of IV you receive. Half of the children in this study will receive one dose IV antibiotics and half will receive three doses. Both groups will switch to antibiotics by mouth after their IV and will receive seven days of antibiotics in total.

During this time, we will:

1. Ask you to check your child’s temperature three times a day for three days
2. Contact you to ask how your child is doing

In this video, Dr Laila Ibrahim details the CHOICE UTI trial for participants.

Funding

Funding for the CHOICE UTI trial is from a Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Grant and The Royal Children's Hospital Foundation Grant.

In this video, Associate Professor Penelope Bryant outlines the reason this study is important for our for children.

Locations

This international study includes five sites across Australia and New Zealand:

• The Royal Children’s Hospital, Senior Coordinating PI: Associate Professor Penelope Bryant
• The Royal Children’s Hospital, Coordinating PI: Dr Laila Ibrahim
• Adelaide Women and Children’s Hospital, Site PI: Associate Professor Amit Kochar
• Perth Children’s Hospital, Site PI: Professor Meredith Borland
• Monash Medical Centre, Site PI: Professor Simon Craig
• Starship Hospital, NZ, Site PI: Professor Stuart Dalziel

Acknowledgments

CHOICE UTI is sponsored by Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.

Special thanks go to all of those involved in the running of our study:

• Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) network
• Site research teams
• Study consumer group
• Steering Committee
• DSMB Committee
• Statisticians

Contact us

CHOICE UTI
Murdoch Children's Research Institute
The Royal Children's Hospital
50 Flemington Road
Parkville VIC 3052
Australia

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