[URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS IN PATIENTS WITH URINARY CATHETERIZATION WHO SUFFER NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS. STUDY OF THE...

In previous studies carried out in our hospital (Hospital de Cabueñes, Gijón, Spain) it could be noticed/stated that every year there was a considerable difference between the patients with urine catheterization in the Neurology Service and the patients in the other hospital wards. This encourages us to carry out the following research.

The purpose of this study is to determine the causes that increase the urinary infections in neurological patients with bladder catheterization compared to catheterized patients with other diseases. Analysis of sediment and urine culture before and after the urinary bladder catheterization. METHODS. Retrospective, descriptive and observational study of fifty patients with neurological disorders who were hospitalized in the neurological care unit of Hospital de Cabueñes (Gijón, Spain) and who needed urinary catheterization. The fieldwork consisted of collecting a sample for sediment and culture before and after the urinary catheterization and also of registering the causes of the catheterization, the length of the treatment, age and sex of patients on a medical record sheet. Patients who were catheterized in the Emergency (A&E) unit, those who were taking antibiotics and those who did not suffer a neurological disease did not take part in this study.

20 patients (40%) out of the 50 who took part in this study and who needed urinary catheterization (UC) suffered from urinary retention, another 20 (40%) were under medical diagnosis and supervision and the last 10 (20%) were treated with manitol. 44 patients (88%) were diagnosed with strokes. 12% of them had a positive culture prior to UC placement.

Patients who suffered stokes have a high risk of urine retention due to their functional disability. Some of them had already the urine values altered, they even had infection prior to the urinary catheter placement.