Cetrimide 0.7% / Chlorhexidine gluconate 0.15% solution

Surgical site infection (SSI) is the most common complication of surgery, increasing healthcare costs and hospital stay. Chlorhexidine (CHX) and povidone-iodine (PVI) are used for skin antisepsis, minimising SSIs. There is concern that  resistance to topical biocides may be emergeing, although the potential clinical implications remain unclear. The objective of this systematic review was to determine whether the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of topical preparations of CHX or PVI have changed over time, in microbes relevant to SSI. We included studies reporting the MBC of laboratory and clinical isolates of common microbes to CHX and PVI. We excluded studies using non-human samples and antimicrobial solvents or mixtures with other active substances. MBC was pooled in random effects meta-analyses and the change in MBC over time was explored using meta-regression. Seventy-nine studies were included, analysing 6218 microbes over 45 years. Most studies investigated CHX (93%), with insufficient data for meta-analysis of PVI. There was no change in the MBC of CHX to Staphylococci or Streptococci over time. Overall, we find no evidence of reduced susceptibility of common SSI-causing microbes to CHX over time. This provides reassurance and confidence in the worldwide guidance that CHX should remain the first-choice agent for surgical skin antisepsis.

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This systematic review aims to compare the efficacy of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) in decontaminating gutta-percha (GP) cones against endodontic pathogens-Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and Candida albicans (C. albicans)-within 0-10 min. A systematic search was conducted in six databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, SCIELO, Scopus, and LILACS), supplemented by manual searches performed independently by three reviewers. No publication year restrictions were applied, and only English-language studies were included. This review followed the PRISMA statement (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). The risk of bias was assessed using six parameters with a modified Cochrane risk of bias tool. Out of 309 potentially eligible studies, 216 were screened by title and abstract, 32 were selected for full-text assessments, and 7 were included. All studies had a moderate or high risk of bias. The majority of the included studies showed that higher NaOCl concentrations effectively eliminate E. faecalis and S. aureus within 1-5 min. However, data on CHX's antimicrobial effect on C. albicans were limited. The qualitative analysis suggests that NaOCl remains the most effective agent for GP decontamination, while CHX with additives shows potential against fungal species.

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ImportanceIntravascular catheters are essential in health care but remain a major source of health care-associated infections. Optimal skin antisepsis before insertion is key, yet the most effective antiseptic agent, concentration, and formulation remain uncertain.ObjectiveTo determine the concentration and formulation of chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) or povidone-iodine (PVI) associated with the lowest incidence of catheter-related infections (CRIs).Data sourcesPubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL were searched through January 7, 2025, without restrictions. Trial registries and reference lists of relevant studies and guidelines were reviewed.Study selectionRandomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing CHG- or PVI-based skin antisepsis before insertion of intravascular catheters were eligible if they reported at least 1 CRI outcome (catheter-related bloodstream infection [CRBSI], catheter tip colonization, or local infection). Two independent reviewers screened titles, abstracts, and full texts.Data extraction and synthesisData were extracted independently by 2 reviewers following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane risk of bias 2 tool. A random-effects network meta-analysis (NMA) was performed to estimate relative risks (RRs) with 95% CIs.Main outcomes and measuresThe primary outcomes were incidence of CRBSIs, catheter tip colonization, and local infections associated with CHG or PVI formulations.ResultsSixteen RCTs (7803 patients; 11 985 catheters) met inclusion criteria. When compared with aqueous formulations, alcohol-based formulations were consistently associated with lower infections rates, with isopropyl alcohol being superior to ethanol. Compared with alcoholic PVI, alcoholic CHG was associated with lower CRBSIs (RR, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.45 to 1.08]), catheter tip colonizations (RR, 0.42 [95% CI, 0.37 to 0.48]), and local infections (RR, 0.40 [95% CI, 0.23 to 0.70]). High concentration CHG (1% or higher) further lowered CRBSIs (RR, 0.31 [95% CI, 0.19 to 0.52]) and colonization (RR, 0.36 [95% CI, 0.30 to 0.42]) compared with lower concentrations. Local adverse events were uncommon, slightly more frequent with alcohol-based formulations, and similar between CHG and PVI.Conclusions and relevanceIn this NMA of RCTs, high concentration CHG in isopropyl alcohol was associated with the lowest incidence of CRIs. These results suggest that alcoholic PVI and aqueous formulations should be reserved for situations in which CHG or alcohol cannot be used.

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AimTo evaluate the most effective chemotherapeutic agent for decontamination of infected dental implants.Material and methodsA systematic electronic literature search in MEDLINE (PubMed) and Google scholar between January 2010 to December 2021 was carried out by using the PRISMA guidelines. A total of five studies related to chemical decontamination of the dental implant were evaluated. The search strategy was based on the PICOS framework. Randomized controlled trials (RCT's) and cohort studies evaluating the effectiveness of different chemotherapeutic agents for the decontamination of dental implants were included in the study. The outcome variable examined was the most effective chemotherapeutic agent(s) for dental implant surface decontamination after comparing the chemotherapeutic agents used in the qualifying studies.ResultOut of the basic database of 1564 records, 1380 articles were excluded due to irrelevance, unavailability, and repetition. Furthermore, 134 articles were excluded from 184 studies for various reasons. After further filtration, 13 studies were shortlisted. Two investigators (SSA and SA) appraised the quality of the selected studies using the risk of bias assessment tool. After excluding eight studies, five articles were finally included in the present systematic review.ConclusionThe data reported for the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents in cleaning contaminated titanium surfaces are scarce, thus it is not possible to draw a definite conclusion. However, chlorhexidine (CHX) (0.2%, 0.12%), citric acid (40%) and sodium hypochlorite (1%) are the most commonly used chemotherapeutic agents; amongst them, citric acid showed the highest potential for biofilm removal from the contaminated implant surface. All three agents [CHX (0.2%, 0.12%), citric acid (40%), and sodium hypochlorite (1%)] can be recommended as therapeutic agents along with their curbs.

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Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a major cause of infection in patients, and reducing oral cavity contamination can lower mortality rates due to VAP. This study evaluates the effects of the combined administration of three medications, colistin, chlorhexidine, and tobramycin, on the prevention of VAP. Materials and Methods: This double-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on 96 patients connected to ventilators and admitted to the intensive care unit of Al-Zahra Hospital in Isfahan. The patients were randomly divided into three groups of 32. Over five days, they received “Colistin + Chlorhexidine,” “Tobramycin + Chlorhexidine,” and “Chlorhexidine-alone” four times daily. The Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score (CPIS), patients’ oral hygiene using the Beck Oral Assessment Scale (BOAS), and positive or negative results of oral and tracheal cultures were evaluated before and after the intervention. Results: The results of the present study showed that the CPIS score in the chlorhexidine + colistin group, with the mean of 7.23 ± 1.87, was significantly lower than the chlorhexidine + tobramycin group and the chlorhexidine-alone group, with the means of 12.32 ± 2.67 and 14.05 ± 1.10, respectively (P = .038). Additionally, the BOAS score in the chlorhexidine + colistin group, with the mean of 3.04 ± 1.02, was significantly lower than the chlorhexidine + tobramycin group and the chlorhexidine-alone group, with the means of 6.25 ± 2.00 and 7.06 ± 2.35, respectively (P = .042). Conclusion: Preventive and hygienic oral care is an effective factor in reducing VAP. There was no significant difference among the three treatment combinations in reducing the incidence of VAP. However, it appears that adding colistin may have a slightly better performance in preventing lung infections and inhibiting bacterial agents.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

PurposeTo provide an overview of artificial tears marketed in the following Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland and Sweden. Furthermore, this review aimed to highlight the different preservatives and other constituents found in artificial tears in the Nordic market, focussing on adverse effects.MethodsArtificial tears appearing in online pharmacies in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland were included, and tables listing their components were created. Based on the preservatives and other constituents found in the artificial tears on the Nordic market, a literature search was conducted to investigate differences and potential adverse effects. This was achieved using PubMed with MeSH and free text search terms. Included articles were (i) studies performed on humans in vivo or in vitro human models, (ii) published between 2000 and 2023 and (iii) focussing on adverse effects, preservatives, toxicity, other constituents and preservative-free artificial tears.ResultsA total of 88 artificial tears were found on the Nordic market. Approximately 32% (28 out of 88) of the artificial tears contain preservatives. Eleven of these are preserved with benzalkonium chloride (BAK) or cetrimide. After a thorough literature search, evidence has been found for the toxic effects of BAK and cetrimide. There is no evidence of toxic effects of lubricants, osmoprotectants and lipids.ConclusionsThe findings of this review highlight the paradoxical fact that many treatments for ocular surface diseases contain toxic preservatives that may lead to worsening of the condition. In particular, long-time toxic effects of BAK may contribute to disease progression.

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Chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) is widely recognized for its antimicrobial properties and potential use as an irrigant in endodontic treatment. However, its specific role in the treatment of primary teeth remains uncertain. This review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of CHX in cleaning the root canal system in pediatric endodontic treatment. A total of 46 studies were initially identified from three databases: PubMed (5), ScienceDirect (2), and Cochrane (0). Following selection based on PRISMA-ScR 2018 guidelines, seven studies met all inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative analysis. The findings indicate that CHX 2% demonstrates good antibacterial efficacy but lacks the ability to dissolve inorganic tissue. Additionally, its safety and effectiveness in dissolving organic tissue in primary teeth have yet to be thoroughly investigated. The minimum irrigation volume when using CHX is 2 ml per root canal, which ensures optimal effectiveness in bacterial elimination and improves treatment outcomes. While CHX shows promise as an endodontic irrigation solution for primary teeth, further research is necessary to fully understand its potential benefits and limitations.

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