A Cluster-randomized Cross-over Trial Evaluating the Comparative Effectiveness of Three Skin Antiseptic Interventions

Summary

Background: Contaminated blood cultures result in unnecessary antibiotic use, increased length of stay, and additional laboratory tests, all of which increase healthcare costs. While the optimal skin antisepsis agent for reducing blood culture contamination is not known, the cost of various agents differs substantially. Objective: To determine the relative rates of blood culture contamination for 3 skin antisepsis interventions - 10% povidone iodine aqueous solution (PI), 2% iodine tincture (IT) and 2% chlorhexidine gluconate in 70% isopropyl alcohol (CHG) - when used by dedicated phlebotomy teams to obtain peripheral blood cultures in adult non-ICU medical and surgical patients.

Timeline

Start

2008-05

Primary completion

2009-09

Completion

2009-11

Publications

• Washer LL, Chenoweth C, Kim HW, Rogers MA, Malani AN, Riddell J 4th, Kuhn L, Noeyack B Jr, Neusius H, Newton DW, Saint S, Flanders SA. Blood culture contamination: a randomized trial evaluating the comparative effectiveness of 3 skin antiseptic interventions. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2013 Jan;34(1):15-21. doi: 10.1086/668777. Epub 2012 Nov 26.

Drugs

Indications