Febrile episodes are associated with the later occurrence of upper tract complications. Intermittent catheterization is associated with a lower risk of urinary tract infections. The regular use of antibiotic prophylaxis for most patients with spinal cord dysfunction cannot be supported. Future research should focus in the areas of (1) prospective cohort studies to assess the short-term and long-term significance of signs, symptoms, and laboratory findings (level of bacteriuria and type of organism, pyuria, others); (2) large, multicenter prospective studies of risk factors potentially modifiable risk factors, in particular for urinary tract infection; and (3) randomized controlled trials in the subgroup of patients who have frequent, recurrent urinary tract infections that limit their functioning. Studies should include both SCI and MS patients, where feasible, and state-of-the-art methods for maximizing the quality of the study designs should be employed.