Purple Urine Bag Syndrome in a Home-Dwelling Elderly Female with Lumbar Compression Fracture: A Case Report

Purple urine bag syndrome (PUBS) is an uncommon, but usually benign, clinical condition where a patient's catheter bag and tubing turns purple, blue, or reddish. This discoloration is often linked to urinary tract infections (UTIs) in catheterized individuals. The purple color arises from a metabolic process involving tryptophan, an essential amino acid from the diet. Bacteria convert a tryptophan metabolite into red and blue pigments, causing the urine bag's discoloration. Predisposing factors for PUBS include being female, advanced age, long-term catheterization, immobility, constipation, dementia, and chronic kidney disease. Healthcare professionals should recognize PUBS as a potential sign of bacteriuria.

• 1
  A 79-year-old home-dwelling female with a history of immobility due to a spinal fracture, long-term catheterization, and constipation developed purple urine bag syndrome.
• 2
  Urine culture identified Proteus mirabilis as the causative agent of the urinary tract infection associated with the purple urine bag syndrome.
• 3
  Prompt treatment with antibiotics, rehydration, and bowel function normalization resolved the urine discoloration and odor within 24 hours.