Comparing the effect of washing meatus urinary region with chlorhexidine and poidon iodine solutions on the appearance of bacteriuria in patients with fixed urinary catheter suffering from brain stroke (CVA)

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common bacterial infections in all age ranges, and indwelling catheter in the bladder is a predisposing factor for them. Any action to reduce or prevent the occurrence of bacteriuria is very important; taking care of the catheter is among such actions which is no doubt of nurses’ duties. This study aims to examine the effect of washing meatus urinary region with Chlorhexidine and Betadine solutions on the appearance of bacteriuria in patients hospitalized in Neuro-Internal Ward with fixed urinary catheter suffering from brain stroke (CVA). This study was a clinical one. Seventy-five patients with CVA were admitted in the Neuro-Internal Ward after 24 hours of catheterization. In order to synchronize, random blocking method was used. The samples were divided into three groups of 25 persons. The Meatus region of the two case groups were washed by chlorhexidine and Betadine and that of the control group by normal saline for as long as 5 minutes a day and at most 10 days. Culture tests and urine analysis were performed on days 1-5 and 10. Demographic information questionnaire and NIHSS scale were used to study the characteristics of patients. Its validity was confirmed, and its reliability was found to be 0.9. For data analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics such as chi-square and ANOVA were used by SPSS (version 16). The comparison of the three indicators of infection (number of positive cultures, the rate of bacteriuria, and Pyuria) in the chlorhexidine, Betadine, and normal saline groups showed no significant difference between the groups on the fifth day. Yet, their comparison on the fifth through the tenth day indicated significant difference between chlorhexidine and normal saline in indicators of positive cultures numbers (chlorhexidine with 16% and normal saline with 56% (p=0.02) although it was not significant for the other two indicators. The comparison of Betadine and normal saline also showed the significant difference of these three indicators only in terms of positive cultures numbers (28% for the Betadine group and 56% for the normal saline group (p=0.02). It was not significant for the two other indicators. The comparison of Chlorhexidine and Betadine revealed no statistically significant difference between the three indicators of infection. Chlorhexidine and Poidon Iodine can better than Normal Salin reduce the level of urinary infections in meatus of patients who are hospitalized in Neuro-ward and expected to have catheter for more than five days.