Urinary output and incidence of acute urinary tract infection in patients with indwelling bladder catheters.

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that high urinary output in patients with an indwelling bladder catheter tends to protect the patients from acute urinary tract infection. Thirty-five cases of acute spinal cord injury were analyzed for average daily urine volume and frequency of acute urinary infection (defined as oral temperature above 101 F and requiring treatment for the infection). The study period encompassed the time from entry into the Rehabilitation Unit until a definitive effort was made to remove the catheter, a mean of 59 days. Twenty-six patients developed acute urinary infections while nine did not. Mean 24-hour urine output in the two groups was 2530 cc and 2540 cc, respectively. The only difference which could be found was a significant decrease in urinary output in the symptomatic group during the seven days preceding onset of acute infection.