Smart Catheter: A Novel Biosensor for Catheter Associated UTI
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Smart Catheter: A novel biosensor for early diagnosis of catheter associated urinary tract infection
IRAS ID
237195
Contact name
Ara Darzi
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 6 months, 30 days
Research summary
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) is the most common hospital acquired infection worldwide, and is most commonly associated with catheterisation of the bladder. Catheter associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) causes increased hospital costs, increased length of stay and increased mortality.
This burden of disease is, in part, mediated by a lack of diagnostic and monitoring modalities for CAUTI. Both traditional and novel UTI diagnostic tests are susceptible to false positives associated with bacterial colonisation, and correlate poorly with clinically meaningful symptomatic CAUTI. As such, the current standard of care is reliant on clinical monitoring, which is susceptible to diagnostic delays, over and under treatment.
Imperial College London have developed a wireless biosensor for continuous monitoring of catheter-urine biochemistry. This project aims to validate this biosensor and demonstrate it's potential for preemptive CAUTI diagnosis through continuous urinary biochemical monitoring.
REC name
London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/0314
Date of REC Opinion
26 Mar 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion