��ɫ��Ƶ the Trial | The MultICath Trial

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Key messages:

The aim of the MultICath programme, of which the Trial was the second part, was��to increase options for intermittent catheter users.
Research showed��that there are advantages from single-use and multi-use catheters and this led��us to believe that there could be benefits from using both (mixed use). Although single use catheters are very convenient,��catheter users reported that having a catheter that can��be re-used, means having to carry fewer catheters when away from home and reduces��the fear of running out of single use catheters.
Also,��having a catheter that could be re-used, would mean fewer catheters being thrown away��which may reduce plastic waste in the environment.

Trial��aims

To determine, in a large clinical trial, whether mixed intermittent catheter use (using reusable catheters sometimes and single use catheters at other times)��is no more likely to cause��urinary tract��infection than using single-use catheters only.

Other outcomes measured include the number of urinary tract infections experienced per participant over the year, the number of prescriptions of antibiotics for urinary tract infections, incidence of urethral bleeding, quality of life, costs associated with each method, and patient experiences and views regarding the catheters that they used.

In this trial, 578 participants were randomly allocated 1:1 by computer to one of two intermittent catheterisation strategies:

single-use catheters only (most people were using this strategy and continued as usual)
mixed-use (combination of��single use and ��multi-use catheters)

Participants using the��'mixed' strategy, cleaned and re-use��uncoated,��reusable silicone catheters (the Cliny catheter) for at least some of their catheterisations. At other times they will continued to use their usual single-use catheters.

The MultICath Trial was part of the MultICath programme which was done in two phases:

PHASE 1 concentrated on topics about which we needed to know more before the Trial could proceed.

The Cleaning Module Before we could ask intermittent catheterisation users to participate in the Trial, we needed to develop methods for the re-use of catheters that are acceptable and effective.

The Interviews Module We needed to understand the important issues for intermittent catheterisation users as well as to verify the signs and symptoms they may experience when they have a urinary tract infetion.

The Implementation Module We recognised that it is extremely important to understand the perspectives of everyone with an interest in intermittent catheterisation.

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This website refers to independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR) Programme (Grant Reference Number RP-PG-0610-10078). The views expressed are those of the research team and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health.

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