The purpose of this study is to characterize bladder urinary oxygen tension (BUOT) in women whose urinary microbiomes contains at least one anaerobic bacterial species versus women whose urinary microbiomes do not contain anaerobes.
Throughout the human body, microbial communities (microbiota) depend on their environment, including the level of oxygen (anaerobic vs. aerobic). Recently published evidence documents the existence of a female urinary microbiota (FUM) and provides evidence that the FUM differ based on lower urinary tract symptoms, i.e. no bladder symptoms, urgency urinary incontinence, and urinary tract infection1-4. Members of the FUM include bacteria that require oxygen (aerobes), those that abhor oxygen (anaerobes) and those that thrive in both conditions (facultative anaerobes)5. This last group of microbes is known to consume low levels of oxygen to maintain an anaerobic environment. Yet, virtually nothing is known about oxygen levels in bladder urine even though bladder urine oxygen tension may both affect and be affected by the FUM. Given the role oxygen levels play in other parts of the human body, the investigators request resources to investigate bladder urine oxygen levels. The study is designed to understand if BUOT levels differ in FUMs with and without at least one anaerobe, and if so, if there are any patient factors or urinary symptoms associated with certain BUOT
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
115
Loyola University Health System
Maywood, Illinois, United States
Oxygen Tension Measurement of Bladder Urine and Correlation of These Oxygen Profiles with Expanded Urine Culture Bacterial Growth in Women
Throughout the human body, microbial communities (microbiota) depend on their environment, including the level of oxygen (anaerobic vs. aerobic). Recently published evidence documents the existence of a female urinary microbiota (FUM) and provides evidence that the FUM differ based on lower urinary tract symptoms, i.e. no bladder symptoms, urgency urinary incontinence, and urinary tract infection. Members of the FUM include bacteria that require oxygen (aerobes), those that abhor oxygen (anaerobes) and those that thrive in both conditions (facultative anaerobes). This last group of microbes is known to consume low levels of oxygen to maintain an anaerobic environment. Yet, virtually nothing is known about oxygen levels in bladder urine even though bladder urine oxygen tension may both affect and be affected by the FUM.
Time frame: The study completion is expected at 2 years.
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