• Fernando Bellissimo-Rodrigues, Wanessa Teixeira Bellissimo-Rodrigues, Jaciara Machado Viana, Gil Cezar Alkmim Teixeira, Edson Nicolini, Maria Auxiliadora-Martins, Afonso Dinis Costa Passos, Edson Zangiacomi Martinez, Anibal Basile-Filho, and Roberto Martinez.
• Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil. fbellissimo@ig.com.br
• Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2009 Oct 1;30(10):952-8.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of the oral application of a 0.12% solution of chlorhexidine for prevention of respiratory tract infections among intensive care unit (ICU) patients.DesignThe study design was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.SettingThe study was performed in an ICU in a tertiary care hospital at a public university. PATIENTS. Study participants comprised 194 patients admitted to the ICU with a prospective length of stay greater than 48 hours, randomized into 2 groups: those who received chlorhexidine (n = 98) and those who received a placebo (n = 96).InterventionOral rinses with chlorhexidine or a placebo were performed 3 times a day throughout the duration of the patient's stay in the ICU. Clinical data were collected prospectively.ResultsBoth groups displayed similar baseline clinical features. The overall incidence of respiratory tract infections (RR, 1.0 [95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-1.60]) and the rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia per 1,000 ventilator-days were similar in both experimental and control groups (22.6 vs 22.3; P = .95). Respiratory tract infection-free survival time (7.8 vs 6.9 days; P = .61), duration of mechanical ventilation (11.1 vs 11.0 days; P = .61), and length of stay (9.7 vs 10.4 days; P = .67) did not differ between the chlorhexidine and placebo groups. However, patients in the chlorhexidine group exhibited a larger interval between ICU admission and onset of the first respiratory tract infection (11.3 vs 7.6 days; P = .05). The chances of surviving the ICU stay were similar (RR, 1.08 [95% CI, 0.72-1.63]).ConclusionOral application of a 0.12% solution of chlorhexidine does not prevent respiratory tract infections among ICU patients, although it may retard their onset.

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