The color purple: Purple urine bag syndrome: Identifying the phenomenon to ease unnecessary anxiety, fear, and distress.

OBJECTIVES: Purple urine bag syndrome (PUBS) is a condition that causes an intense purple discoloration of the urine, predominately in frail, dependent, and bedridden persons who are chronically catheterized and have urinary tract infections. Despite being considered a benign syndrome, PUBS can cause great anxiety, fear, and distress in health professionals, chronically ill persons, and caregivers or family members who provide care.

METHODS: We report the case of a 98-year-old institutionalized woman with Alzheimer's dementia with a long-term urinary catheter who developed PUBS.

RESULTS: Although alarming and distressing for the resident and the health-care team, PUBS was resolved by treating the underlying urinary tract infection and applying good genital hygiene and catheter replacement.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: Identifying PUBS and its clinical features and management proved to be significantly helpful in ameliorating the anxiety, fear, and distress around the phenomenon.