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Comparative Efficacy of Alcohol‐Based Surgical Scrubs: The Importance of Formulation
Author(s) -
Macinga David R.,
Edmonds Sarah L.,
Campbell Esther,
McCormack Robert R.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
aorn journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.222
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1878-0369
pISSN - 0001-2092
DOI - 10.1016/j.aorn.2014.03.013
Subject(s) - chlorhexidine gluconate , tolerability , medicine , food and drug administration , clinical efficacy , alcohol , intensive care medicine , surgery , pharmacology , chlorhexidine , adverse effect , chemistry , dentistry , biochemistry
Alcohol‐based surgical scrubs (ABSSs) are used to prevent surgical site infections. Chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) often is added to enhance persistent germicidal activity. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of ABSS product formulation on efficacy. We evaluated three commercially available ABSS formulations and one control alcohol formulation according to the surgical scrub methodology specified by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Only one ABSS formulation met FDA efficacy requirements when tested at the manufacturer's recommended dosage. In contrast, two ABSS formulations, one of which contained CHG, failed to meet the FDA acceptance criteria for a 3‐log 10 reduction on day 5, meaning the formulations did not sufficiently reduce bacteria levels on hands on the fifth day of product application. The data suggest that recommendations to include CHG in ABSS formulations should be reconsidered, and product efficacy, skin tolerability, and user acceptability should be evaluated on a case‐by‐case basis.