The relationship of indwelling urinary catheters to death, length of hospital stay, functional decline, and nursing home admission in hospitalized older medical patients.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the association between indwelling urinary catheterization without a specific medical indication and adverse outcomes.


METHODS
Prospective cohort.


METHODS
General medical inpatient services at a teaching hospital.


METHODS
Five hundred thirty-five patients aged 70 and older admitted without a specific medical indication for urinary catheterization.


METHODS
Indwelling urinary catheterization within 48 hours of admission.


METHODS
Death, length of hospital stay, decline in ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs), and new admission to a nursing home.


RESULTS
Indwelling urinary catheters were placed in 76 of the 535 (14%) patients without a specific medical indication. Catheterized patients were more likely to die in the hospital (6.6% vs 1.5% of those not catheterized, P=.006) and within 90 days of hospital discharge (25% vs 10.5%, P<.001); the greater risk of death with catheterization persisted in a propensity-matched analysis (hazard ratio (HR)=2.42, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.04-5.65). Catheterized patients also had longer lengths of hospital stay (median, 6 days vs 4 days; P=.001); this association persisted in a propensity-matched analysis (HR=1.46, 95% CI=1.03-2.08). Catheterization was not associated (P>.05) with decline in ADL function or with admission to a nursing home.


CONCLUSIONS
In this cohort of older patients, urinary catheterization without a specific medical indication was associated with greater risk of death and longer hospital stay.
Holroyd-Leduc
Jayna M
JM
Department of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada. jayna.holroyd-leduc@calgaryhealthregion.ca
Sen
Saunak
S
Bertenthal
Dan
D
Sands
Laura P
LP
Palmer
Robert M
RM
Kresevic
Denise M
DM
Covinsky
Kenneth E
KE
Seth Landefeld
C
C
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome