Trial to compare mixed-use (multi-use and single-use) intermittent catheter management with single-use management over 12 months (The MultICath Trial): protocol for a non-inferiority randomised controlled trial
Isabel Reading,
Jeremy Jones,
Gillian Watson,
Paul Little,
Michael Moore,
Carl R May,
Suzanne Hagen,
Doreen McClurg,
Karen Guerrero,
Jacqui Prieto,
Nina Wilson,
Carol Shields,
Mandy Fader,
Bridget Clancy,
Margaret Macaulay,
Thomas J Chadwick,
Brian S Buckley,
Rajvinder Khasriya,
Alaa Abouhajar,
Catherine P James,
Nicola Goudie,
Sylvia Dickson,
Miriam R Avery,
Jackie Broadbridge,
Alan Cottenden,
Cathy Murphy,
Anthony Timoney,
Sandra A Wilks
Affiliations
Isabel Reading
Primary Care and Population Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
Jeremy Jones
Produced Better, Alpharetta, Georgia, USA
Gillian Watson
trial manager
Paul Little
professor of primary care research
Michael Moore
Primary Care Research Centre, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK
Carl R May
professor
Suzanne Hagen
5 Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK
Doreen McClurg
topic adviser and professor of physiotherapy and pelvic floor rehabilitation
Karen Guerrero
consultant urogynaecologist
Jacqui Prieto
1 University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
Nina Wilson
Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Carol Shields
2 Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Mandy Fader
School of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
Bridget Clancy
3 University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton SO17 1BJUK
Margaret Macaulay
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
Thomas J Chadwick
Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Brian S Buckley
3 University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
Rajvinder Khasriya
senior house officer
Alaa Abouhajar
4 Newcastle Clinical Trials Unit, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Catherine P James
UCL Institute for Women’s Health, University College London, London, UK
Nicola Goudie
Newcastle Clinical Trials Unit, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Introduction Evaluating the safety and acceptability of reusing catheters for intermittent catheterisation (IC) is one of the top 10 continence research priorities identified by the UK James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership in 2008. There are an estimated 50 000 IC users in England and this number is rising. Globally, both single-use catheters (thrown away after use) and multi-use/reusable ones (cleaned between uses) are used. Using multi-use catheters as well as single-use ones (mixed-use) could bring benefits (eg, reducing plastic waste and patients never running out of catheters) and offer more choice to users. Evidence is needed that mixed-use is at least as safe and acceptable as using only single-use catheters.Methods The MultICath Trial is a non-inferiority randomised controlled trial involving 578 participants. The aim is to compare mixed-use catheter management with single-use catheter management over 12 months. Participants are randomised on a 1:1 basis to either mixed-use catheter management, which includes an evidence-based cleaning method for the multi-use catheters (intervention) or single-use catheter management (control). Following randomisation, participants are followed up for 12 months. The primary outcome is at least one episode of microbiologically confirmed symptomatic urinary tract infection with help-seeking or self-help behaviour over the 12-month follow-up period. Laboratory analysis of patient-initiated urine samples is blind. Secondary outcomes include antibiotic use, microhaematuria, visible blood on catheter/in urine, quality of life and health economics. A qualitative sub-study to examine participant experiences using mixed-use is included.Ethics and dissemination Ethical review was undertaken by South Central-Hampshire A Research Ethics Committee and favourable opinion was granted on 12 July 2019 (reference: 19/SC/0334). Written, informed consent to participate was obtained from all participants. Results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed publications, in the National Institute for Health and Care Research journal library and to participants and the public via a lay summary published on the trial website.Trial registration number ISRCTN42028483.
