Assessment of hand hygiene strategies on skin barrier function during COVID‐19 pandemic: A randomized clinical trial

• DOI: 10.1111/cod.14034
• Publication Date: 2021-12-26T07:19:21Z
• Authors: Trinidad Montero‐...; Antonio Martinez‐...; Carlos Cuenca‐Bar...; Maria I. Quiñones...; Alvaro Sierra‐San...; Alejandro Molina‐...; Margarida Gonçalo; Jacobo Cambil‐Martin; Salvador Arias‐Sa...
• Keywords: Transepidermal water loss; Disinfectant; Hand sanitizer; Hand washing

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has increased the frequency of handwashing. There is scarce evidence regarding impact different hand hygiene procedures on skin barrier function in clinical practice.To compare measures healthcare workers daily practice.A randomized controlled trial was conducted. Participants were to sanitize their hands with water and soap, alcohol-based sanitizers (ABHSs), or disinfectant wipes during 8-hour working shift. Epidermal functional parameters, such as transepidermal loss (TEWL), microbial load assessed before immediately after day. Tolerance acceptability each product recorded work.Sixty-two participants included 20, 21, 21 use ABHS, wipes, respectively. After shift, TEWL increase higher than soaps ABHS (+5.45 vs +3.87 -1.46 g h-1 m-2 , respectively; P = .023). Bacteria fungi colony-forming unit (CFU) count reductions lower for soap group wipes. Disinfectant considered more difficult (P .013) compared ABHS.Daily showed lowest rates disruption highest reduction CFU.