Infección Urinaria en Pacientes con Lesión Medular / Urinary Infection in Patients with Spinal Cord Lesion

La micción es un proceso complejo, que requiere la coordinación entre el sistema nervioso central y periférico. La alteración en ése, aumenta el riesgo para que se produzcan infecciones complicadas y a largo plazo, daño renal. La alteración en el vaciado de la vejiga, obliga a que muchos de esos pacientes, realicen cateterismos intermitentes o sonda vesical permanente, aumentando el riesgo de infecciones polimicrobianas o por gérmenes multiresistentes. Algunos factores implicados en el desarrollo de las infecciones de esos pacientes, son el residuo postmiccional elevado, estasis urinario, litiasis vesical, uso de catéteres, además de las alteraciones en el sistema inmune y las capas de recubrimiento en la mucosa vesical. El diagnóstico de infección se realiza al encontrar: piuria y bacteriuria, según método de vaciado vesical, y un síntoma general que sugiera infección. Conclusión: Las infecciones urinarias en pacientes con lesión medular, deben ser tratadas de acuerdo a sensibilidades de la zona, siempre con la toma previa de un urocultivo y con un diagnóstico adecuado de infección urinaria, teniendo en cuenta las diferentes maniobras de evacuación de la vejiga. No están recomendados los tratamientos cortos ni el tratamiento de las bacteriurias asintomáticas. Una de las formas de prevenir las infecciones, está en evitar situaciones de riesgo como el estasis vesical, las presiones intravesicales elevadas y los vaciamientos incompletos. En la actualidad existen múltiples medicamentos para prevenir las infecciones urinarias, pero faltan estudios con evidencia de más peso y en pacientes con lesión medular, para que puedan ser recomendados.

Urination is a complex process, requiring coordination between the central and peripheral nervous system. The alteration in this, increases the risk for complicated infections and long-term kidney damage. The alteration in the emptying of the bladder, causes many of these patients to perform intermittent catheterization or permanent bladder catheterization, increasing the risk of polymicrobial infections or multiresistant germs. Some factors involved in the development of infections of these patients are high postvoiding, urinary stasis, vesical lithiasis, use of catheters, as well as alterations in the immune system and the layers of lining in the bladder mucosa. The diagnosis of infection is made on finding: pyuria and bacteriuria, according to the method of bladder emptying, and a general symptom that suggests infection. Conclusion: Urinary tract infections in patients with spinal cord injury should be treated according to the sensitivity of the area, always with prior urine collection and an adequate diagnosis of urinary tract infection, taking into account the different maneuvers of bladder evacuation. Short treatments and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria are not recommended. One way to prevent infections is to avoid risky situations such as bladder stasis, elevated intravesical pressures and incomplete emptying. At the moment there are multiple drugs to prevent urinary tract infections, but there are no studies with evidence of heaviest weight and in patients with spinal cord injury, so that they can be recommended.

A randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of urinary catheters with silver alloy coating in spinal cord injured patients: trial protocol.

BACKGROUND: Patients with non-acute spinal cord injury that carry indwelling urinary catheters have an increased risk of urinary tract infection (UTIs). Antiseptic Silver Alloy-Coated Silicone Urinary Catheters seems to be a promising intervention to reduce UTIs; however, actual evidence cannot be extrapolated to spinal cord injured patients. The aim of this trial is to make a comparison between the use of antiseptic silver alloy-coated silicone urinary catheters and the use of standard urinary catheters in spinal cord injured patients to prevent UTIs. METHODS/DESIGN: The study will consist in an open, randomized, multicentre, and parallel clinical trial with blinded assessment. The study will include 742 spinal cord injured patients who require at least seven days of urethral catheterization as a method of bladder voiding. Participants will be online centrally randomized and allocated to one of the two study arms (silver alloy-coated or standard catheters). Catheters will be used for a maximum period of 30 days or removed earlier if the clinician considers it necessary. The main outcome will be the incidence of UTIs by the time of catheter removal or at day 30 after catheterization, the event that occurs first. Intention-to-treat analysis will be performed, as well as a primary analysis of all patients. DISCUSSION: The aim of this study is to assess whether silver alloy-coated silicone urinary catheters improve ITUs in spinal cord injured patients. ESCALE is intended to be the first study to evaluate the efficacy of the silver alloy-coated catheters in spinal cord injured patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01803919.