Effect of Copper Impregnated Textiles on Healthcare Associated Infections and Antibiotic Use in a Single Intensive Care Unit

One ward of the ICU had copper impregnated linen while the other had regular linen. This included sheets, pillowcases, towels and patient gowns. After the first 23 week period was completed, there was a 3 week washout period. After this, the wards were switched with the first using regular linen and the second using copper impregnated linen.

The investigators followed participants and documented any infections >48 hours after admission to the ICU. The number and days of antibiotics used for the infections were also documented. Using assigned study numbers, the investigators obtained demographic data: age, sex, co-morbid conditions, and admitting diagnosis. All participants were followed daily in the GICU and daily for 48 hours after transfer to the regular floor. Date of discharge will be obtained retrospectively. Infection control (IC) routinely obtains Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) nasal swabs on all patients on admission to the GICU, once weekly while in GICU and then again on discharge from the GICU. They monitor the GICU patients for healthcare associated infections (HAI) that meet the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) 146 definitions. The NHSN is a widely used HAI tracking system, and the infections documented included Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP), Catheter related blood stream infections (CLABSI), catheter associate urinary tract infections (CAUTI) and Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea (CDAD). They also obtain information on decubitus ulcers (bed sores) that develop during hospital stay. Infection control also routinely monitors the isolation of multi-drug resistant bacteria, namely Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE), Extended Spectrum beta Lactamase producing organisms (ESBL) and Carbapenemase producing enterobacteriaceae (CRE) as well as Multi drug resistant (MDR ) Acinetobacter baumanii from cultures. This above information will be obtained from the IC nurses on a weekly basis by the investigators.

As most of the infections in the ICU do not meet strict NHSN criteria, the investigators defined an infection as: the physician diagnosing an infection, and then initiating antibiotics for the same.

Copper linen were implemented the same as regular linen. There was no difference in the nursing or physician staff on either side. No interventions were made other than existing hospital wide IC interventions