Table 3.

Catheter characteristics table (reported in valid percentages)

Catheters	Baseline %	6 months %	12 months %
Catheter type	n=202	n=161	n=150
Urethral	55.4	53.4	51.3
Suprapubic	44.1	46	48
Both	0.5	0.6	0.7
Catheter size	n=185	n=145	n= 136
<18 (to 6 Fr)	38.9	32.4	32.4
18 Fr	30.3	30.3	27.2
>18 (to 40 Fr)	30.8	37.2	40.4
No catheter size change in 2 months	NA	n= 158 89.9	n= 149 89.3
Balloon size	n=155	n=118	n=106
5–10 mL	80.0	82. 2	84.0
30 mL	18.8	13.6	16.0
Other	1.3	4.2	0
No balloon size change in 2months	NA	n=146 95.5	n= 141 97.9
Sediment, Irrigation	Baseline %	6 months %	12 months %
Sediment amount checked	n=126	n=99	n=85
Small	41.3	40.4	47.1
Medium	34.1	42.4	36.5
Large	24.6	17.2	16.5
Sediment frequency	n= 126	n=99	n=85
Daily	23.8	20.2	24.7
Once –several times week	29.3	31.3	34.1
Once-several times a month	39.7	42.4	38.8
Once in two months	7.1	6.1	2.4
Irrigation solutions	n=71	n=57	n=61
Saline	76.1	77.2	85.2
Sterile water	22.5	12.3	6.5
Tap water	8.5	8.7	4.9
Renacidin®	4.2	5.3	4.9
Difficulty & pain	Baseline %	6 months %	12 months %
Difficulty in insertions or removal	n=35	n=28	n=19
Occurred once or twice in two months	88.6	85.7	94.7
Insertion, as compared with withdrawal	68.6	53.6	61.1
Difficulty rating of 8–10 (out of 1–10)	54.3	50.0	44.4
Catheter pain related to:	n=46	n=33	n=36
Positioning	45.7	36.4	33.3
Bladder spasms	45.7	36.4	58.3
Some catheter changes	30.4	12.1	19.4
Each catheter change	26.1	33.3	22.2
All the time	13	24	17
How much catheter-related pain bothers:	n=46	n=33	n=36
Not at all	0	3.0	2.8
Very little	15.2	15.2	38.9
Somewhat	45.7	45.5	27.8
A great deal	39.1	36.4	30.6

^*The percentages are reported in valid percentages only for those who had the problem.

NA= This was not applicable as this item was not asked at the baseline interview