Clinical Research Directory

Hydrogen Peroxide and Ultraviolet Light for Disinfecting Surfaces in Intensive Care Units

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) remain a major problem in intensive care units (ICUs), driven by environmental contamination with multidrug-resistant organisms that persist despite routine manual cleaning. While hydrogen peroxide aerosolization and ultraviolet-C light devices have shown promise in reducing surface contamination, current evidence is inconsistent, mostly derived from single-center studies, and rarely linked to patient-centered outcomes. The investigators will conduct this cluster-randomized, crossover trial in 12 Brazilian ICUs. Each ICU will sequentially implement three strategies: (1) usual surface disinfection; (2) usual surface disinfection followed by hydrogen peroxide aerosolization at 7.9% concentration, applied through a dedicated device inside a protective tent during terminal cleaning of patient beds; and (3) usual surface disinfection followed by automated ultraviolet-C irradiation, also applied under the same tent to shield adjacent occupied beds. The primary outcome will be the average duration of antimicrobial therapy, with secondary outcomes including HAI incidence, environmental contamination with multidrug-resistant organisms, specific HAIs (associated-ventilator pneumonia, central-line associated bloodstream infection, and catheter-associated urinary tract infection), and ICU length of stay costs.

Impact of Discontinuing Contact Precautions for Extended-spectrum β-lactamase Enterobacteriaceae in a Geriatric Unit

This is an interventional multicenter prospective noninferiority non-randomized double-blind controlled before and after study. The aim of this study is to demonstrate that standard precautions alone are not inferior to contact precautions by comparing the incidence density of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae acquired in geriatric units before and after discontinuing contact precautions.

Infectious Complications After Cystectomy: A Prospective Observational Study

Patients undergoing cystectomy for either oncological or non-oncological indications are prospectively enrolled following informed consent. This study design incorporates a comprehensive medical history, detailed prospective documentation of clinicopathological parameters, and serial measurements of infectious markers pre- and post-operatively. In-hospital complications are meticulously recorded, and long-term outcomes assessed through structured follow-up interviews at 3, 6, and 12 months. These follow-ups utilize standardized questionnaires to evaluate post-discharge infectious complications and gather patients' perspectives on their in-hospital experiences, providing a robust understanding of both clinical outcomes and patient-reported experiences.