The clinical significance of isolation of two different organisms from the urine of patients with an indwelling catheter.

Background: We evaluated the clinical significance of urine cultures from patients with an indwelling urinary catheter (UC) from which 2 different pathogens were isolated.

Methods: Urine cultures from patients with a UC from which 2 different organisms were isolated were randomly divided into a control group (culture results were reported as usual) and a study group (culture results were reported as "mixed growth"). Endpoints included change in antibiotic treatment, use of broad spectrum agents, time for clinical improvement, and duration of admission.