Randomized Trial of Concentrated Proanthocyanidins (PAC) for Acute Reduction of Bacteriuria in Male Veterans with Spinal Cord Injury "Utilizing Clean Intermittent Catheterization.
Study design: This study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of a concentrated PACs compound (36mg/capsule), in veterans with SCI and neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) requiring intermittent catheterization (IC) over a 15-day period. Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the acute effects of concentrated proanthocyanidins (PACs) in the cranberry supplement ellura on bacteriuria, leukocyturia, and subjective urine quality in catheter-dependent veterans with SCI. Setting: Spinal cord injury center (outpatient clinic and inpatient unit). Methods: Participants with positive urine bacterial colonization (>=50K CFU/ml) were randomized to once daily concentrated PACs or identical placebo and followed with daily (in-patients) or twice weekly (out-patients) urine cultures with colony forming units per milliliter (cfu/ml) range (bacteriuria), microscopic urine white blood cells per high-powered field (wbc/hpf) quantification (leukocyturia), and surveys assessing urine clarity, odor, color, sediment, and overall satisfaction. A repeated measure analysis of variance was used to compare treatment vs. control and evaluate serial trends. Results: A total of 13 male participants (7 randomized to concentrated PACs, 6 to placebo) completed the trial. There was no significant decrease over the study period in colony forming units per milliliter (cfu/ml) or log(wbc/hpf) in the treatment vs. the control group. Patients receiving concentrated PACs rated the clarity, odor, color, sediment, and overall satisfaction of their urine as insignificantly improved compared to placebo. Conclusions: Acutely, there was no reduction of bacteriuria and pyuria or improvement in subjective urine quality for SCI patients treated with daily concentrated PACs.