BACKGROUND Point prevalence studies in care homes show a high use of antibiotics, especially to treat urinary tract infections (UTI). There is a lack of large studies presenting annual antibiotic prescription data in care homes compared to those not in care homes. This study aimed to describe the pattern of antibiotic prescribing in those 75 years and over, with a focus on UTI. METHODS In thi...

PURPOSE We report on our experience with the Memotherm stent implanted in high-risk patients who had an indwelling catheter. PATIENTS AND METHODS Seventeen patients (mean age 80.6 years, range 55 to 93) who had an indwelling catheter were treated by placement of the Memotherm stent. The mean duration time of indwelling catheter were 12.7 months (range 1 to 60). The methods of implantation was...

The crystalline biofilms of Proteus mirabilis can seriously complicate the care of patients undergoing long-term indwelling urinary catheterisation. Expression of bacterial urease causes a significant increase in urinary pH, leading to the supersaturation and precipitation of struvite and apatite crystals. These crystals become lodged within the biofilm, resulting in the blockage of urine flow ...

OBJECTIVE To describe trends in national catheter-related urinary tract infection (CRUTI) rates, as well as etiologies and multiresistance markers. DESIGN An observational, prospective, multicenter voluntary participation study was conducted from 1 April to 30 June in the period between 2005 and 2010. SETTING Intensive Care Units (ICUs) that participated in the ENVIN-ICU registry during the...

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to assess the impact of a multidimensional infection control approach for the reduction of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) in an adult intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital member of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) in Lebanon. METHODS A before-after prospective active surveillance study was carri...

STUDY OBJECTIVES To determine whether the rate of acquisition of bacteriuria differs between the use of a complex closed drainage system (CCDS) with a preattached catheter, antireflux valve, drip chamber, and povidone-iodine releasing cartridge, and a two-chamber open drainage system (TCOS) in ICU patients. DESIGN Prospective, nonrandomized, controlled trial. SETTING Medical/surgical/trauma...

The emergence of this usually rare organism as the third most common urinary pathogen, which is resistant to commonly available antibiotics is alarming. The indiscriminate use of antimicrobial agents and frequent genitourinary instrumentation are possibly responsible for this situation. Many such infections could be prevented by selective judicious use of urinary catheters as well as careful at...

Urinary catheterization elicits major histological and immunological changes that render the bladder susceptible to microbial invasion, colonization, and dissemination. However, it is not understood how catheters induce these changes, how these changes act to promote infection, or whether they may have any protective benefit. In the present study, we examined how catheter-associated inflammatio...

Interventions to reduce urinary catheter use involve lists of "appropriate" indications developed from limited evidence without substantial multidisciplinary input. Implementing these lists, however, is challenging given broad interpretation of indications, such as "critical illness." To refine criteria for appropriate catheter use-defined as use in which benefits outweigh risks-the RAND/UCLA A...