Germicidal UV light in long-term care facilities reduced weekly respiratory infections by 12.% among older adult patients in long-term care facilities, despite showing no short-term impact per study cycle, according to a recent study.
A multicenter, two-arm, double-crossover, cluster randomized clinical trial evaluated whether germicidal ultraviolet (GUV) light could reduce the incidence of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) for older adult patients. The study found that GUV did not significantly reduce ARI incidence per study cycle, but time-series analysis demonstrated a consistent 12% weekly reduction in infections in zones with active GUV.
The trial was conducted across four LTCFs in South Australia. Each facility was divided into two matched zones, with a mean of 44 beds per zone. Zones were randomized to either active GUV devices or inactive control devices for 6-week intervention periods, separated by 2-week washout periods, followed by crossover. Seven cycles were completed over 110 weeks from August 2021 to November 2023, encompassing 211,952 bed-days.
Across all zones, 596 ARIs were reported, with 475 occurring during intervention or control periods. The mean number of ARIs per zone per cycle was 3.8 in the intervention arm and 4.2 in the control group. Measured per 1,000 bed-days, the rate of infections was 2.2 in the intervention group compared with 2.4 in the control group. These data indicated no statistically significant reduction in ARIs during individual cycles.
However, longitudinal time-series analysis across all study weeks found the average weekly infection rate was 2.3 in zones with active GUV appliances, compared with 2.6 in control zones, translating to a reduction of 0.32 infections per week, or a 12% decrease. A secondary analysis that excluded patients in memory support units and accounted for viral incubation periods showed a weekly reduction of 0.319 ARIs in the intervention group.
Full disclosures can be found in the published study.
Source: JAMA Internal Medicine
