Suprapubic catheter placement improves antimicrobial stewardship among Veterans Affairs nursing care facility residents.

In a Veterans Affairs nursing facility, suprapubic catheters were associated with significantly fewer urinary tract infections (catheter-associated urinary tract infection) than were indwelling urinary catheters (mean: 0.95 vs 4.5/1,000 device-days, P = .05) among 18 patients with a history of both catheter types. Suprapubic catheters were associated with significantly shorter antibiotic treatment courses for catheter-associated urinary tract infection or asymptomatic bacteriuria (mean: 28.3 vs 88.8 days, P = .02).