R Jepson

Dr R Jepson, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK; ruth.jepson@stir.ac.uk

QUESTION

Do cranberry products prevent urinary tract infection (UTI) in susceptible people?

REVIEW SCOPE

Studies selected compared cranberry juice or cranberry tablets (taken for ⩾1 mo) with placebo, no treatment, or other treatments for primary or secondary prevention of UTI in susceptible populations (eg, people who had recurrent UTIs, were elderly, or required catheterisation). Studies involving treatment of active UTI were excluded. Outcome was symptomatic UTI with bacteriological confirmation.

REVIEW METHODS

Cochrane Renal Group trials register and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (to Jan 2007), Cochrane Collaboration Field in Complementary Medicine trials register, Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, LILACS, PsycLit, Biological Abstracts, Current Contents, National Research Register, the internet, reference lists, and conference abstracts were searched for randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials published in English or 1 of 7 …