title: A prospective registration of catheter life and catheter interventions in patients with long-term indwelling urinary catheters.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to register the incidence of scheduled and acute urinary catheter changes and rinses (acute interventions) among nursing home patients, to relate the incidence of acute interventions to catheter material and time of catheterization, and to register the use of antibiotics for catheter-associated urinary tract infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  Catheter life and catheter-related interventions were followed prospectively for 1 year in all patients with long-term indwelling catheters in all 78 nursing homes in a county in western Sweden.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Altogether, 366 patients were followed: 117 (32%) women and 249 (68%) men. Acute changes (n = 718) were more common than scheduled ones (n = 519). The rate of acute interventions was not related to catheter material and was significantly lower in patients with a catheter for over 2 years. In 25% of the patients, acute interventions were virtually never necessary, in contrast to 10% where acute interventions were registered nearly every month. Antibiotic treatment for reasons assumed to be related to the urinary tract was instituted on 170 occasions among 85 men (34%) and 20 women (17%), a significant difference between the genders (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS; No catheter material appeared to be superior. The surprising finding that acute interventions were less common after 2 years' catheterization needs further study to be verified and explained. Only 10-25% had a more frequent need for acute interventions and are candidates for future interventional studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Research and Development, Skaraborgs Sjukhus, Skövde, Sweden.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jonsson
authors.forename: Anna-Lena
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: E-Son Loft
authors.forename: Salmir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nasic
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hedelin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013548:Sweden; D013997:Time Factors; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000451:nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001672:Biocompatible Materials