Efficacy of 1 versus 3 days of intravenous amikacin as a prophylaxis for patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate: A prospective randomized trial

INTRODUCTION: There are no uniform guidelines on the duration of antibiotic prophylaxis for transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of 1 day versus 3 days of intravenous amikacin as prophylaxis, before TURP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective randomized control trial, patients with sterile preoperative urine culture were randomized to receive either 1 day (Group A) or 3 days (Group B) of intravenous (IV) amikacin. All patients had their catheter removed on the 3(rd) day and a midstream urine culture was obtained on the 4(th) day. The follow-up was scheduled at 1 week and at 1 month. The rate of bacteriuria on the 4(th) postoperative day was analyzed as the primary outcome. The secondary outcomes included symptomatic urinary tract infection (UTI), its risk factors, and other complications at 1 month. RESULTS: Of the 338 patients randomized, 314 patients were evaluable until day 7 and 307 until 1 month. Bacteriuria rate at day 4 (Group A: 8.8% [95% confidence interval (CI): 4.2–13.2]; Group B: 4.4% [95% CI: 1.2%–7.7%], P = 0.124, Fisher's exact test) was similar in both the groups. At 1 month, the rate of symptomatic UTI was also similar in both the groups (3.5% [95% CI: 0.8–6.9] vs. 1.7% [95% CI: 0.2–4.2], P = 0.344, Fisher's exact test). Bacteriuria (colony-forming unit, >10(4)/ml) at day 4 was a significant risk factor for developing symptomatic UTI (P = 0.006). Antibiotic resistance was higher in Group B (P = 0.002) (Group A: 7.1% [95% CI: 6.3–20] vs. Group B: [71%, CI: 38–104], P = 0.0021, Fisher's exact test). CONCLUSION: One day is possibly noninferior to 3 days of IV amikacin as prophylaxis in patients undergoing TURP with respect to bacteriuria and symptomatic UTI, with an added advantage of lower antibiotic resistance.