Circumcision Reduces Risk for UTI in Infants with Hydronephrosis

Neonatal circumcision is associated with a small reduction in risk for urinary tract infection (UTI) in healthy boys and is recommended for boys with urological abnormalities. To assess the risk of UTI during the first year of life and effects of circumcision in boys with various forms of hydronephrosis, researchers compared 5560 boys with hydronephrosis and 11,120 matched healthy controls identified from a nationwide commercial claims and encounters database from 2007 to 2013.

Overall, 43% of boys with hydronephrosis and 52% of controls were circumcised. The rate of UTI in the first year of life was 12% in boys with hydronephrosis compared with 1% in controls. Among boys with hydronephrosis, the rate of UTI was significantly lower in those …