UTI and mental confusion in the elderly population

[SACTOBOY]

Can somebody give me an explanation how UTI could result to mental confusion in the elderly? I have some idea about it but I just wanted to enrich my knowledge about the issue. Thanks folks!

[SACTOBOY]

any idea please?

[Dr. X]

Any infection in the elderly can cause altered mental status. They are considered immunocompromised.. so they may not spike high fever or have a significant increase in the wbc. Thats why even 2 degrees higher is significant on elderly pts. Left shift granulocytes can be helpful in identifying infection.

Often infections are something you want to rule out when elderly presents with AMS. UTI being the common one for elderly, its checked by running a urinalysis and subsquent urine culture.

As for pathophysiology, few things to think about:
1) weakened immune system (to begin with) is put to the test with the infection which adds stress to the body.
2) Having fever.. results in diaphoresis.. could result in dehydration. they're usually dehydrated to begin with.
3) Metabolic changes
4) decreased O2 delivery to the brain during infection
etc.