We evaluated whether combining the serum albumin level and the Prediction Rule for Admission policy in Complicated urinary Tract InfeCtion LEiden (PRACTICE) class could be a prognostic predictor in elderly patients with urinary tract infection (UTI).

We retrospectively included adult patients (age ≥ 65 years) with UTI who were hospitalized in the emergency department (ED) between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2018. We graded the serum albumin level and classified the PRACTICE score; the modified PRACTICE was defined as the sum of the albumin level grade and the PRACTICE class. We comparatively assessed the predictive value for in-hospital mortality and admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) in survivor and non-survivor groups.

In total, the study analysis included 1159 patients, and in-hospital mortality was 3.4% (n = 39). The modified PRACTICE score (4.0 [1.4] vs 6.1 [1.2], p < 0.001) was significantly increased in the non-survivor group. The area under the curve value of factors associated with in-hospital mortality were the Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) 0.57 (95% CI 0.54–0.60), albumin 0.83 (95% CI 0.81–0.85), PRACTICE 0.71 (95% CI 0.69–0.74), and the modified PRACTICE 0.86 (95% CI 0.84–0.88). Factors associated with ICU admission were MEWS 0.65 (95% CI 0.62–0.68), albumin 0.66 (95% CI 0.64–0.69), PRACTICE 0.66 (95% CI 0.63–0.68), and the modified PRACTICE 0.72 (95% CI 0.69–0.74).

The modified PRACTICE score can be a useful prognostic predictor in elderly patients with UTI.