Introduction and hypothesisComplicated urinary tract infection (cUTI) is highly prevalent and costly for health systems. The impact of the indwelling urinary catheter on etiologic agents and clinical outcomes has been poorly studied in Latin America.MethodsCross-sectional study including patients with cUTI, with positive urine culture, treated at Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Bogotá (Colombia) between 2017 and 2020. Clinical and microbiologic characteristics, treatments and outcomes are explored, comparing those with and without indwelling urinary catheter.ResultsSeven hundred thirty-five patients with non-catheter-associated cUTI (NC-cUTI) and 165 with catheter-associated cUTI (CAUTI) were included. CAUTI group had a higher proportion of recurrent UTI (18% vs 33.3%,p< 0.001), ICU requirement (2.7% vs 8.5%,p< 0.001), longer hospital stay (6 vs 10 days,p< 0.001) and > 30 days unplanned readmission rate (5.8% vs 10.3%,p< 0.001). In the same group, we found a higher frequency ofPseudomonas spp(2.6% vs 9.4%,p< 0.001),Enterococcusspp. (2.4% vs 3.3%,p= 0.016),Serratia marcescens(0.6% vs 3.3%,p< 0.001) andCitrobacter freundii(0.5% vs 5.7%,p< 0.001). It implied a higher number of patients treated with fourth-generation cephalosporins (1.4% vs 4.8%,p= 0.004), ertapenem (32.9% vs 41.8%,p= 0.027) and carbapenems associated with a second antibiotic (1.9% vs 8.5%,p< 0.001).ConclusionsPatients with CAUTI have a higher frequency of resistant germs, require greater use of resources and have worse clinical outcomes than patients who do not require such devices. Measures should be strengthened to minimize its use, in both the hospital and outpatient setting.