Temperature variation in the home setting: implications for continuous ambulatory infusions

Background Home infusion therapy is being increasingly utilised. Little is known about variation in the temperature of the infusion solution in the home and its effect on drug stability. Aim To investigate temperature changes over a 24‐h period during usual daily activities and assess the effect of ice packs on infusion solution temperature during storage at 25°C or 32°C. Method Six healthy volunteers (without intravenous access) wore a waist pouch containing an elastomeric infuser for 24 h during autumn and recorded their daily activities. Infusion solution temperature and ambient temperature were measured every 10 min. In a separate experiment, an infuser was placed inside a waist pouch containing ice packs and ambient temperature was maintained at 25°C or 32°C for 24 h. Ice packs were replaced eight‐hourly. The procedure was repeated twice at each temperature. Results The mean temperature of the infusion solutions worn by volunteers ranged from 22.7°C (±3.5) to 27.9°C (±5.6), and the cumulative time exceeding 25°C ranged 6–20 h. The infusers stored in waist pouches with ice packs usually maintained a solution temperature below 20°C when stored at 25°C. Infusers stored at 32°C maintained a solution temperature greater than 20°C for up to 11 h. Conclusion Infusion solutions may reach temperatures above 30°C in the home which should be considered when assessing patient suitability for home therapy. There is a need to assess drug stability at high temperatures and determine if exposure to high temperatures has a negative impact on therapeutic outcomes.