Black chokeberry juice (Aronia melanocarpa) reduces incidences of urinary tract infection among nursing home residents in the long term—a pilot study ☆
Abstract
Urinary
tract infection (UTI) is a major problem in nursing homes, and the
mainstay of treatment is antibiotics. The increasing prevalence of
uropathogens resistant to antimicrobial agents has stimulated interest
in specific nutrients, for example, cranberries, to prevent recurring
UTI. Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa [Michx] Elliott) is a
rich source of phenolics, and thus, dietary intake of black chokeberry
juice may reduce the incidences of UTI requiring medical treatment. In
this pilot study, we examined the frequency of medically treated UTI
among residents in 6 nursing homes who were offered black chokeberry
juice or a placebo during a 6-month crossover intervention. The
residents were offered a placebo drink for a 3-month period followed by
chokeberry juice for the next 3 months (group A) or vice versa (group
B). The juice was characterized by a high content of total phenolics
(715 mg gallic acid equivalent, 100 mL−1), including B-type
procyanidins, anthocyanins, and chlorogenic acids. Daily intake of
chokeberry juice was 156 mL per resident in group A (n = 110) and 89 mL
per resident in group B (n = 126). Urinary tract infection comprised 55%
of all medically treated infections during the study period. The
results revealed no immediate reduction in the frequency of UTI or the
total use of antibiotics; however, during the subsequent 3-month period
of juice administration, a reduction in antibiotics toward UTI was
observed in both groups. The incidence of UTI was reduced by 55% in
group A and 38% in group B. No changes in other infections or in use of
prophylactics were observed.
Keywords
- Elderly people;
- Nursing homes;
- UTI;
- Black chokeberry;
- Phenolics
Abbreviation
- UTI, urinary tract infection
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
