The Prevalence of Urinary Tract Infections in Iranian Children: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

Abstract

Introduction: Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are the most common infections in children worldwide, however, data from Iran is not very well studied. Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of UTIs in Iranian children. Materials and Methods: From the beginning of databases to November 2017, International {PubMed, Web of Science (WOS) and Google scholar} and National {Scientific Information Database (SID), Magiran} databases were searched for related observational studies that were conducted in Iran including only on Iranian children and published in English and Persian languages. The quality of the articles was evaluated using the Hoy D tool. Results: Out of 515 initial studies, 14 and 6 studies were included in systematic review and meta-analysis, respectively. The overall prevalence of UTI in 3926 children was 4.92% (95% CI:2.32, 7.52; I2=93.58%). The prevalence of UTI in male and female children was 2.59% and 4.78%, and the difference was non-significant. Conclusion: Considering the prevalence of UTIs in Iranian children, it is recommended that studies should be conducted in the field of research at the national level to determine the precise incidence and risk factors for UTIs in children.

Keywords

• asymptomatic bacteriuria
• infectious disease
• paediatrics