Causes of Mood Changes After Urinary Tract Infections

Neuropsychiatric Manifestations of UTIs

• Mental status changes are recognized as a common non-urinary symptom of UTIs, particularly in older or frail patients, and can manifest as agitation, aggression, or other mood alterations 1, 3
• UTIs can trigger delirium in vulnerable populations, defined as disturbances in attention, awareness, and cognition that develop over a short period and tend to fluctuate in severity 2

Assessment Considerations

• When evaluating patients with UTIs who exhibit mood changes, assess mental status for changes related to the infection, signs of dehydration which can exacerbate both UTI symptoms and mood disturbances, and presence of other UTI-specific symptoms to confirm diagnosis 4