Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections in the Adult Patient Group: A Qualitative Systematic Review on the Adopted Preventative and Interventional Protocols From the Literature

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CA-UTIs) are among the most common nosocomial infections acquired by patients in health care settings. A significant risk factor for CA-UTIs is the duration of catheterization. To summarize the current strategies and interventions in reducing urinary tract infections associated with urinary catheters, use and the need for re-catheterization on the rate of CA-UTIs, we performed a systematic review. A rapid evidence analysis was carried out in the Medline (via Ovid) and the Cochrane Library for the periods of January 2005 till April 2021. The main inclusion criterion required to be included in this review was symptomatic CA-UTI in adults as a primary or secondary outcome in all the included studies. Only randomized trials and systematic reviews were included, reviewed, evaluated, and abstracted data from the 1145 articles that met the inclusion criteria. A total of 1145 articles were identified, of which 59 studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected. Studies of relevance to CA-UTIs were based on: duration of catheterization, indication for catheterization, catheter types, UTI prophylaxis, educational proposals and approaches, and mixed policies and interventions. The duration of catheterization is the contributing risk factor for CA-UTI incidence; longer-term catheterization should only be undertaken where needed indications. The indications for catheterization should be based on individual base to base cases. The evidence for systemic prophylaxis instead of when clinically indicated is still equivocal. However, antibiotic-impregnated catheters reduce the risk of symptomatic CA-UTIs and bacteriuria and are more cost-effective than other impregnated catheter types. Antibiotic resistance, potential side effects and increased healthcare costs are potential disadvantages of implementing antibiotic prophylaxis. Multiple interventions and measures such as reducing the number of catheters in place, removing catheters at their earliest, clinically appropriate time, reducing the number of unnecessary catheters inserted, decrease antibiotic administration unless clinically needed, raising more awareness and provide training of nursing personnel on the latest guidelines, can effectively lower the incidence of CA-UTIs.