Introduction: The purpose of this study was to identify factors affecting the length of hospitalization of elderly patients with urinary tract infection (UTI) in an acute care hospital, where general practitioners treat the majority of them.Methods: Subjects were patients aged ≥ 65 years with UTI who were admitted to our hospital between April 2019 and March 2021. The primary endpoint was the length of hospital stay on an acute care ward. Factors associated with the primary endpoint were detected using logistic regression analysis with several explanatory variables (patients' baseline characteristics, laboratory findings, and interventions during hospitalization).Results: In total, 143 cases were eligible for analysis (88±7 years old, 37% male). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that: Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥ 6, complex UTI with urologist's assessment, and the score of the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) on admission were significant factors correlated with the length of hospitalization (odds ratios: 5.07, 0.13, and 0.30, respectively).Conclusion: In older patients with UTI, CCI≥6, UTI without urologist's assessment, and a lower score of FOIS may prolong the length of stay in an acute care hospital.

Background: In Japan, neonates have typically been bathed in a bathtub immediately after birth because bathing is a custom for cleansing impurities. However, dry technique has been introduced into many institutions since 2000. There is little scientific evidence on the benefit or harmfulness of either method to neonatal skin, and consequently, opinion remains split on which method is superior. Objective: The purpose of the present study was to determine whether bathing or the dry technique of cleaning is better in maintaining skin health in the early neonatal period. Methods: Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and skin pH, considered an index of skin barrier function, were measured in each group. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-6, which are inflammatory cytokines released by keratinocytes, were measured by skin blotting. Results: TEWL and skin pH of neonates were lower with the dry technique than with bathing. The expression level of IL-6 and TNF-α in chest skin of neonates was higher with bathing than with the dry technique. Conclusion These results suggest that the dry technique may maintain skin health better than bathing in the early neonatal period.