Bond girl and “That ’70s Show” star Tanya Roberts died on Monday night at age 65 after being hospitalized for a disease unrelated to COVID-19, previously confirmed TODAY. On Tuesday, Roberts’ longtime partner, Lance O’Brien, said TODAY that she was hospitalized because of a urinary tract infection that spread to her kidneys and gallbladder, which played an important role in her death.
Urinary tract infections are the most common type of outpatient infection, with 50-60% of adult women developing at least one during their lifetime, according to a recent survey published in the journal Therapeutic Advances in Urology. What is much less common, however, is dying from a urinary tract infection, said Dr. Kameelah Phillips, an obstetrician at Calla Women’s Health in New York City today.
“People don’t die from an uncomplicated UTI,” she explained. “People die of … complications from a UTI, which is called sepsis. That’s when the bacteria that causes a bladder infection actually spreads into the bloodstream. And when it spreads into the bloodstream, it can cause what we call it multisystem organ failure, and that can lead to death. “
How can a UTI lead to sepsis?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sepsis is the body’s extreme response to infection. A simple infection can trigger a “chain reaction” in the body and, without treatment, sepsis can cause tissue damage, organ failure and death.
With UTIs in particular, “the amount of bacteria (can) overload the bladder system, and the bacteria leaves the bladder and enters the bloodstream because you have blood vessels that run through the bladder,” explained Phillips. The amount of bacteria can make this more likely to occur, as can the type of bacteria. Some types are more likely than others to leave the urinary system, Phillips said.
UTIs that lead to sepsis, a condition called urossepsy, are more common in older adults, said Phillips.
In part, this may be because older adults can be asymptomatic and remain untreated for longer, she explained.
“Older people tend to have less strong immune systems,” added Phillips, and underlying health problems. “(That) can also affect your body’s response to treatment … and make it more difficult for you to recover from symptoms at times,” she said.
“It is not very common” for an ICU to lead to sepsis, according to Phillips.
“Women should not be afraid that their regular ICU will kill them,” she emphasized. “(But) it teaches us that we shouldn’t ignore UTI symptoms and we should go to the doctor. If you think you have symptoms, check your urine instead of just ignoring it or trying to treat it without a prescription.”
It is important to be aware of UTI symptoms, which can include:
- Pain or burning when urinating
- Frequent urination
- Feeling the need to go to the bathroom despite an empty bladder
- Bloody urine
- Groin pressure or cramps
Roberts’ representative initially told the media that she had died on Sunday night, but the news was released Monday morning that Roberts was still alive. Her representative later confirmed that she died Monday night.
Roberts was best known for playing Stacey Sutton in the 1985 James Bond film “A View to a Kill” and Midge Pinciotti on “That ’70s Show” between 1998 and 2004.
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