Efficacy Of Copper To Reduce Acquisition Of Microbes and Healthcare-acquired Infections

Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Healthcare-acquired Infection

Treatments: Other: Copper-alloy surfaced patient care objects

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT01565798

DOD W81XWH-07-C-0053

Effect of Copper on HAI (Other Grant/Funding Number)

Details and patient eligibility

About

CONTEXT: Healthcare-acquired infections (HAI) cause substantial patient morbidity and mortality. Commonly touched items in the patient care environment harbor microorganisms that may contribute to HAI risk. Thus, reduction in the surface bioburden may be an effective strategy to reduce HAI. Inherent biocidal capabilities of copper surfaces offer a theoretical advantage to conventional cleaning, as disinfection is continuous rather than episodic.

OBJECTIVE: Determine whether placement of copper-alloy surfaced objects in an intensive care unit (ICU) reduce risk of HAI.

DESIGN: An intention to treat study where patients are sequentially placed into rooms with or without copper-alloy surfaced objects.

SETTING: The ICUs of three hospitals, a tertiary academic hospital, an academic cancer center, and a Veteran's Administration Medical Center.

PATIENTS: Any patient 18 years of age or older who required admission to an ICU at a study hospital is eligible for placement into a study room if available.

INTERVENTION: Placement of copper-alloy surfaced objects in an ICU room. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Rate of incident HAI and/or colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) in each type of room.

Enrollment: 614 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

patients 18 years and older requiring admission to an ICU at one of the study sites were eligible

Exclusion criteria

• less than 18 years of age or
• pregnant

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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614 participants in 2 patient groups

Copper Surfaced Room

Experimental group

Description:

Patients sequentially randomized to this arm were admitted to an ICU room with copper surfaced objects.

Treatment:

Other: Copper-alloy surfaced patient care objects

Standard Surfaced Room

No Intervention group

Description:

Patients sequentially randomized to this arm were admitted to an ICU room with standard surfaced objects