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Urinary tract infection‐related delirium in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias: Clinical challenges and translational opportunities
Sarah Kim, Sarah A. Kremen, Itai Danovitch, Shouri Lahiri. Alzheimer s & Dementia, 2026-02-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) affects millions of patients worldwide and is a leading cause of morbidity in older adults. Patients with ADRD are particularly susceptible to developing urinary tract infection (UTI) and UTI-related delirium, creating a self-perpetuating cycle in which ADRD increases vulnerability to infection and delirium, while delirium itself accelerates cognitive and functional decline. This review summarizes the epidemiology, clinical implications, and diagnostic guidelines for UTI and UTI-related delirium in ADRD. It also examines emerging biological mechanisms, including interleukin-6-mediated pathways, and discusses evidence-based strategies for prevention and management.
Key findings
- Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) affects millions of patients worldwide and is a leading cause of morbidity in older adults.
- Patients with ADRD are particularly susceptible to developing urinary tract infection (UTI) and UTI-related delirium, creating a self-perpetuating cycle in which ADRD increases vulnerability to infection and delirium, while delirium itself accelerates cognitive and functional decline.
- This review summarizes the epidemiology, clinical implications, and diagnostic guidelines for UTI and UTI-related delirium in ADRD.
- It also examines emerging biological mechanisms, including interleukin-6-mediated pathways, and discusses evidence-based strategies for prevention and management.
Why it matters
This review describes a cycle in which dementia raises the risk of urinary tract infection and related delirium, and delirium then speeds up cognitive and functional decline. It discusses prevention and management strategies and possible biological mechanisms, but reports no cure.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 37/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer s & Dementia) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 2 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.0 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 11.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 2 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Shouri Lahiri: h-index 17 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center: institution h-index 866 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41630631) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 37 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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APA 7th
Kim, S., Kremen, S. A., Danovitch, I., & Lahiri, S. (2026). Urinary tract infection‐related delirium in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias: Clinical challenges and translational opportunities. Alzheimer s & Dementia. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.71184
Vancouver
Kim S, Kremen SA, Danovitch I, Lahiri S. Urinary tract infection‐related delirium in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias: Clinical challenges and translational opportunities. Alzheimer s & Dementia. 2026. doi:10.1002/alz.71184. PMID: 41630631.
BibTeX
@article{kim2026-41630631,
author = {Kim, Sarah and Kremen, Sarah A. and Danovitch, Itai and Lahiri, Shouri},
title = {{Urinary tract infection‐related delirium in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias: Clinical challenges and translational opportunities}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1002/alz.71184},
pmid = {41630631},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.71184}
}
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