title: Chlorhexidine - a novel intervention to decrease the nursery stay and antibiotic exposure duration - randomized trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of chlorhexidine (CHD) application on umbilical cord and evaluate its impact on duration of NICU stay and antibiotic exposure days.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 140 newborns in our study (70 in intervention group and 70 in control group), and their data were collected. Newborns in control group were given routine umbilical cord care, and intervention group received CHD spray on umbilical cord three times a day and for the next three days of cord fall. In this study, swabs were sent from umbilical cord at the age of three and seven days of life for culture. Data regarding culture-proven sepsis, duration of NICU stay and antibiotic days were recorded in the proforma for data collection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This is a secondary analysis of the data of the randomized control trial. A significant reduction in duration of nursery stay was seen in CHD group in comparison with control group (12.4 ± 5.38 d versus 14.7 ± 6.62 d, p = 0.04, significant). Significant reduction was also seen in days of antibiotic exposure in the intervention group (9.74 ± 6.88 d versus 12.1 ± 7.78 d, p = 0.04, significant).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Application of CHD to umbilical cord shortens duration of nursery stay and antibiotic days during nursery admission. This simple intervention may be used as mode in places where nursery facilities are limited, as aid in early discharge and shortening the exposure to antibiotic, which may help in reducing the prevalence of multidrug-resistance microbes. This cheap intervention may also be effective in reducing the economical burden on the health infrastructure of the country and parents.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neonatology , Fernandez Hospital , Hyderabad , Andhra Pradesh , India .
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pediatrics , Pandit B.D. Sharma Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences , Rohtak , Haryana , India , and.
authors.forename: Geeta
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gathwala
authors.affiliation: c ACPM Medical College , Dhule , Maharasthra , India.
authors.forename: Sweta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shastri
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D002710:Chlorhexidine
keywords: Chlorhexidine; duration of antibiotics received; duration of hospital stay