OBJECTIVES: To collect real-life data on costs and resource use, in order to understand the economic burden and treatment patterns of urinary tract infection (UTI) amongst people with spinal injury, who are in need of chronic, intermittent catheterisation. METHODS: We used the CEBRxA database, which combines data from a public claims database for the South-West region of Sweden, comprising around 1.5 million individuals, with national Swedish registers on drug utilisation and mortality. We identified a population of spinal injury patients (ICD-10 S14.0, S24.0, S34.0, and T91.31) who in addition had received a diagnosis of neurogenic bladder (ICD-10 N31*), anytime during the years 2000 to 2009. UTIs were identified through the following ICD-10 codes: N11.0, N30*, N39.0*, N39.X*, N12.-P, and N30.-P. A cost per UTI was calculated through considering UTI-related care contacts that occurred within 14 days from each other (from 2005-07-01 onwards). RESULTS: We identified 295 spinal injury patients, with a mean age at index of 44 years, an average follow-up time of 6 years, and of which 79% were males.  For 67% of the population we observed at least one UTI, which resulted in a care contact. Interestingly, a quarter of the population used prophylactic antibiotics (J01XX05), corresponding to an average of 235 DDDs per year, amongst users. A majority of UTIs were handled in primary care, while over 90% of costs were contributed by UTI-related hospitalisations. The mean cost per UTI was 43,500 SEK, while estimates varied considerably, with costs ranging from an average of 1,800 SEK for UTIs handled in primary care to 177,200 SEK for inpatient care. CONCLUSIONS: In a population of spinal injury patients, costs for catheter-associated urinary tract infections are to a large extent driven by outlier, expensive hospitalisation. There would be a large potential for cost savings if these hospitalisations could be avoided.