A randomized clinical trial comparing Nitrofurazone‐coated and uncoated urinary catheters in kidney transplant recipients: Results from a pilot study

Background Urinary tract infections are frequent complications early after kidney transplantation, and the use of antimicrobial coated catheters in settings other than transplantation has shown promising results for infection prevention. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of Nitrofurazone‐coated silicone urinary catheters with non‐impregnated silicone urinary catheters in reducing bacteriuria and urinary tract infections in kidney transplant recipients. Methods This single‐center study, randomized controlled trial at the Hospital do Rim, a tertiary referral center in kidney transplantation, located in São Paulo, Brazil. Subjects involved living donor kidney transplant recipients, and were randomized 1:1 ratio with a computer‐generated system to a Nitrofurazone‐coated silicone urinary catheter and non‐impregnated silicone urinary catheter from March 2013 to December 2014. Patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria or urinary tract infection at baseline, deceased kidney transplant donors, patients with known hypersensitivity to nitrofurantoin, pregnancy, and those refusing to sign the informed consent form were excluded from the study. Results Two hundred fourteen subjects were randomized and one hundred seventy‐six completed the study. There were no differences in the rates of asymptomatic bacteriuria (12.5% in the Nitrofurazone group and 11.4% in the control group, P  = 0.99) and urinary tract infection (8% and 6.8%, P  = 0.99) and the incidence of side effects was more frequent in the Nitrofurazone‐impregnated silicone urinary catheter group (46.6% and 26.1%, P  = 0.007). Conclusion The study suggests that there is no beneficial effect of the employment of Nitrofurazone‐coated urinary catheter. Trial registration number: ISRCTN57888785.