title: Novel hospital curtains with antimicrobial properties: a randomized, controlled trial.
abstract: METHODS
  Privacy curtains that separate patient care areas in hospitals may play an important role in the transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens. The aim of this randomized, controlled trial was to assess the effectiveness in a clinical setting of curtains incorporating a complex element compound (CEC) with antimicrobial properties.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one rooms in a surgical intensive care unit (ICU) and 9 rooms in a medical ICU were randomly selected to receive either a new standard curtain or a new identical-looking CEC curtain. Fifteen rooms received CEC curtains and 15 received standard curtains.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cultures were performed of samples that were collected from curtains twice a week for 4 weeks (23 days). Contamination was determined according to standard microbiologic methods. Time to contamination was assessed with the Wilcoxon rank-sum test and survival analysis. Incidence rates of contamination were compared using Poisson regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median time to first contamination was 7 times longer for CEC curtains than for standard curtains (14 vs 2 days; [Formula: see text]). CEC curtains were significantly less contaminated than standard curtains according to earlier culture results but not significantly different for later culture results. Fourteen CEC curtains and 13 standard curtains were contaminated at least once ([Formula: see text]). The adjusted rate of contamination was 29% lower among CEC versus standard curtains, but this was not statistically significant (rate ratio, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.48-1.07).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CEC privacy curtains increase the time to first contamination as compared with standard curtains. Use of privacy curtains with antimicrobial properties could increase the time between washings and may potentially play a role in decreasing pathogen transmission.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA. marin-schweizer@uiowa.edu
authors.forename: Marin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schweizer
authors.forename: Maggie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohl
authors.forename: Kris
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heilmann
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boyken
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Diekema
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D001512:Bedding and Linens / Q000382:microbiology*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents