American family physician
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Acute pyelonephritis is a bacterial infection of the kidney and renal pelvis and should be suspected in patients with flank pain and laboratory evidence of urinary tract infection. Urine culture with antimicrobial susceptibility testing should be performed in all patients and used to direct therapy. Imaging, blood cultures, and measurement of serum inflammatory markers should not be performed in uncomplicated cases. ⋯ Most patients respond to appropriate management within 48 to 72 hours, and those who do not should be evaluated with imaging and repeat cultures while alternative diagnoses are considered. In cases of concurrent urinary tract obstruction, referral for urgent decompression should be pursued. Pregnant patients with pyelonephritis are at significantly elevated risk of severe complications and should be admitted and treated initially with parenteral therapy.