Using hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet-C light to disinfect ICU surfaces
Hydrogen Peroxide and Ultraviolet Light for Disinfecting Surfaces in Intensive Care Units: A Randomized, Controlled, Cluster, Crossover Clinical Trial
This trial will test whether adding hydrogen peroxide aerosol or automated UV-C light to routine cleaning lowers infection rates in adults admitted to participating intensive care units.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 5000 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein Academic / other |
| Locations | 12 sites (Barbalha, Ceará and 11 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT07233837 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This cluster-randomized, crossover trial will be conducted in 12 Brazilian ICUs, with each unit sequentially implementing three strategies: routine disinfection alone, routine disinfection followed by 7.9% hydrogen peroxide aerosolized inside a protective tent during terminal bed cleaning, and routine disinfection followed by automated ultraviolet-C irradiation applied under the same tent. Units are randomized by cluster and cross over between strategies so outcomes during each period can be compared. The trial links these unit-level disinfection strategies to patient-centered outcomes including ventilator-associated pneumonia, catheter-related bloodstream infections, and urinary tract infections while also monitoring environmental contamination and antimicrobial use. Results will determine whether reductions in surface bioburden translate into fewer ICU-acquired infections.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults aged 18 years or older admitted to one of the participating ICUs are eligible to be included.
Not a fit: Patients in ICUs that already use hydrogen peroxide or UV-C for surface disinfection, or those with very short ICU stays unlikely to encounter contaminated surfaces, may not receive benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the interventions could reduce ICU-acquired infections and lower antibiotic use among critically ill patients.
How similar studies have performed: Previous single-center and environmental studies have shown reductions in surface contamination with hydrogen peroxide and UV-C, but evidence that these technologies reduce patient infection rates across multiple centers is inconsistent and limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * All patients aged 18 years and older who will be admitted to the participating ICUs Exclusion Criteria: * Patients under 18 years * ICUs that use peroxide hydrogen or ultraviolet light for surface disinfection as part of their protocol
Where this trial is running
Barbalha, Ceará and 11 other locations
- Hospital Maternidade Sao Vicente De Paulo — Barbalha, Ceará, Brazil (Recruiting)
- Instituto Hospital de Base — Brasília, Federal District, Brazil (Recruiting)
- Hospital Estadual de Aparecida de Goiânia — Aparecida de Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil (Recruiting)
- Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Passos — Passos, Minas Gerais, Brazil (Recruiting)
- Fundo Municipal de Saúde de Maringá — Maringá, Paraná, Brazil (Recruiting)
- Hospital da Restauração — Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil (Recruiting)
- Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal do Piauí — Teresina, Piauí, Brazil (Recruiting)
- Hospital Universitário Onofre Lopes — Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil (Recruiting)
- Hospital Geral de Caxias do Sul — Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Recruiting)
- Hospital de Pronto Socorro de Porto Alegre — Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Recruiting)
- Hospital Dr Leo Orsi Bernardes — Itapetininga, São Paulo, Brazil (Recruiting)
- Hospital Pelópidas Silveira — Recife, Brazil (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Antonio P Nassar Jr, PhD — Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein
- Study coordinator: Antonio P Nassar Jr, PhD
- Email: antonio.nassar@einstein.br
- Phone: 551121519617
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.