Comparison of permeabilities of eight different types of cytotoxic drugs to five gloves with different materials by LC-MS/MS methods to reduce occupational exposure of medical personnel

PURPOSE

Occupational exposure is a long-standing public health concern, which has drawn more and more attention in recent years to the problem of how to carry out occupational protection effectively. Gloves are regarded as the most critical protective equipment for cytotoxic medications. However, there is still little research conducted on the protective performance of gloves made of different materials and the optimal glove combination for cytotoxic agents.

METHODS

In this research, a specific instrument intended for glove permeation experiment was designed, with various methods of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) developed and validated. By using the specific instrument and LC-MS/MS methods, a study was conducted on the permeation ability of eight selected cytotoxic drugs (fluorouracil, epirubicin (EPI), docetaxel (DCT), methotrexate (MTX), cyclophosphamide (CTX), etoposide (ETP), vincristine sulfate (VCR), and cisplatin derivatives Pt-(DDTC)3) into five kinds of gloves (rubber (RB), nitrile (NT), chlorinated polyethylene (CPE), low-density polyethylene, and polyvinylchloride (PVC) resin) given different contact times. Then, the experimental data were analyzed through a generalized estimation equation and Pearson correlation analysis.

RESULTS

The results show that within a short period of time (less than five minutes), ETP, CTX, fluorouracil, DCT, and cisplatin passed through five types of gloves but the level of MTX, VCR, and EPI permeation was minimal, despite the duration of contact between the three drugs and the gloves reaching as long as three hours. Furthermore, the permeation of DCT and ETP was found to be positively correlated with time.

CONCLUSIONS

Chlorinated polyethylene and PVC resin perform well in protecting against most cytotoxic drugs and are recommendable for clinical practice. Due to the poor protective ability, RB gloves are not recommended for this purpose. Based on the performance of various gloves in offering protection, the protection grade of two gloves can be deduced. Chlorinated polyethylene  +  PVC resin, CPE  +  NT glove combination shows good protective performance against most target drugs and can be recommended for clinical practice.

Prevention of skin damages related to personal protective equipment among healthcare workers: Summary of best-evidence practiced strategies

AIM

To conduct a quality evaluation of the literature for the prevention of skin damage caused by personal protective equipment among healthcare workers and to summarise the best-evidence practice strategies to prevent it.

DESIGN

Review.

METHODS

Two researchers retrieved the literature from Web of Science, Public Medicine, etc., from the establishment of the database until 24 June 2022. Appraisal of Guidelines, Research and Evaluation II was used to assess the methodological quality of the guidelines. Expert consensus was assessed by the 2016 version of the Australian Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence-based Health Care Center corresponding evaluation standards. By tracking the original study, the quality of practice recommendations and best-practice evidence information sheets were evaluated by the 2016 version of the Australian Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence-based Health Care Center corresponding evaluation standards. The classification of evidence and recommendation level adopted the 2014 version of the Australian Joanna Briggs Institute evidence pre-grading and recommending level system.

RESULTS

A total of 5476 studies were retrieved after duplications were eliminated. After the quality evaluation, 10 qualified studies were finally included. All consisted of two guidelines, one best practice information sheet, five practice recommendations, and one expert consensus. The evaluation results of the guidelines were both B-level recommendations. The consistency strength of expert consensus was moderate (Cohen's kappa coefficient = .571). Thirty best-evidence practised strategies were compiled for four elements, including cleaning, moisturising, prophylactic dressings and others.

CONCLUSION

Our study evaluated the quality of the included studies and summarised the preventive measures of PPE-related skin lesions according to the recommendation level. The main preventive measures were divided into 4 parts and 30 items. However, the associated literature was rare, and the quality was slightly low. More high-quality research is needed to focus on healthcare workers' health and not just skin in the future.

Evaluation of Closed System Transfer Devices in Preventing Chemotherapy Agents Contamination During Compounding Process-A Single and Comparative Study in China

Aim

We performed a comparative study to investigate the efficacy of closed system transfer devices (CSTDs) on the safe handling of injectable hazardous drugs (HDs).

Methods

The exposure assessments of cyclophosphamide and cytarabine were performed under traditional or CSTDs. For preparation activity, chemotherapy contamination samples on protective equipment (such as gloves and masks) were collected. The contamination analysis was performed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). A 6-item form was distributed monthly (form M1-M6, total 6 months) to assess the pharmacists' experience on ergonomics, encumbrance, and safety impression.

Results

Totally, 96 wiping samples were collected throughout the study. The numbers of contaminated cyclophosphamide samples reduced under CSTD were -37.8, -41.6, -67.7, -47.3, and -22.9% and cytarabine were -12.3, -12.1, -20.6, -69.6, and -56.7% for left countertop, right countertop, medial glass, air-intake vent and door handle, as compared to traditional devices. The reduction was similar to pharmacist devices, i.e., -48.2 and -50.0% for masks and gloves cyclophosphamide contamination, -18.0 and -42.4% for cytarabine. This novel system could improve contamination on dispensing table, transfer container, and dispensing basket by -16.6, -6.0, and -22.3% for cyclophosphamide and -28.5, -22.5, and -46.2% for cytarabine. A high level of satisfaction was consistently associated with ergonomics for CSTD during the compounding process. Meanwhile, a slightly decreased satisfaction on ergonomics, encumbrance, and safety impression was observed for the traditional system between M2 and M3.

Conclusion

Closed system transfer devices are offering progressively more effective alternatives to traditional ones and consequently decrease chemotherapy exposure risk on isolator surfaces.

Why is radiological protection different in medicine? Sievert Memorial Lecture

There are many aspects of radiological protection in medicine that are different from other areas of activity using ionising radiation. In this paper, the author presents and justify some of these differences and highlight the reasons for and benefits of this consideration for the medical field. It is important to understand the differences as we are all likely to be patients at some point in our lives and be exposed to ionising radiation for imaging procedures several times and, in some cases, for therapeutic indications. The work done by the International Commission on Radiological Protection and other international organisations to produce and recommend a consistent system of radiological protection in medicine for the safe use of ionising radiation in medical practices must be highlighted. We should understand why we do not apply dose limits and dose constraints to patients, as well as why we have three levels of justification when considering the use of ionising radiation for patients. We highlight the relevance of personalised radiation protection in parallel to personalised medical practice, and the importance of an integrated approach for occupational and patient protection, especially for interventional procedures. We also cover the differences between patients and volunteers in biomedical research, the importance of radiation safety in quality assurance programmes (including the consideration of unintended and accidental exposures) for some clinical practices, and the relevance of education and training in radiological protection for medical and health professionals and information on radiation risks for patients. Finally, the ethical issues with regard to the safe use of ionising radiation in medicine and the impact of new technology will be addressed.

Surgical Masks for Protection of Health Care Personnel Against Covid-19: Results from an Observational Study

PURPOSE

The aim of the study was to describe the use of masks among health care personnel (HCP) exposed to index cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and to evaluate any association with infection rate.

METHODS

We did a retrospective, observational study of HCP at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University for the management of COVID-19 (before person-to-person transmission was official confirmed, no additional protection was provided). A questionnaire was given to all staff listed on the roster in the clinical regions providing care for index patients with COVID-19. All participants were surveyed regarding hand-washing and use of surgical masks and gloves and were tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Data were analysed (Student's t test and Pearson χ2 test) for an association between infection and use of personal protective equipment.

RESULTS

Exposure of a total of 299 non-infected and 30 infected staff was confirmed. None of the 149 staff who reported use of all three preventative measures (hand-washing and use of gloves and masks) became infect-ed. In contrast, all 30 of the staff who became infected had omitted at least one of the measures. Fewer staff who wore surgical masks (P=0.000003) became infected compared with those who did not. Infections rates were significantly lower in HCP from the internal medicine departments, as these personnel generally wore masks.

CONCLUSION

An association was found between SARS-CoV-2 infection of HCP and the non-use of masks when working with index cases in clinical settings. We recommend that all HCP follow the strict instructions for prevention and treatment of nosocomial infection during intimate contact with COVID-19, especially staff from surgical departments.

The Status of Occupational Protection During COVID-19 Pandemic: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice of Healthcare Workers in Endoscopy Units, China

Background: SARS-CoV-2 spreads rapidly around the world, and some patients present gastrointestinal symptoms. The existence of the virus in the gastrointestinal tract makes digestive endoscopy a high-risk operation, which associated with an increased risk of infection rate in healthcare workers. This study aimed at exploring current knowledge, practice and attitudes of healthcare workers in endoscopy units in China regarding the status of occupational protection during COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of a national online survey involving 717 healthcare workers in endoscopy units from 94 medical structures in 24 provinces and municipalities around China was conducted online via a questionnaire platform called Wenjuanxing (wjx.cn). The data were analyzed using correlation approaches, Kruskal-Wallis test for independent samples, and linear regression models.

Results: Most Chinese healthcare workers in endoscopy units had a good knowledge of COVID-19 (median: 10; range: 7–12), showed a strikingly positive attitude (median: 65; range: 39–65), and carried out good practice (median: 47; range: 14–50) in strengthening the protection, disinfection and management of COVID-19. In terms of attitudes, female staff was more concerned about protection against COVID-19 than male staff (KW = 8.146, P = 0.004). Nurses performed better in both attitude (KW = 2.600, P = 0.009) and practice (KW = 6.358, P < 0.001) than endoscopic physicians when carrying out personal protection, patient care and environmental disinfection against SARS-CoV-2 infection. More positive attitudes in protection were related to better protective behavior in endoscopic daily medical work (r = 0.312; P < 0.001).

Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that Chinese endoscopy healthcare workers have an excellent mastery of knowledge about COVID-19, which is transformed into positive beliefs and attitudes, contributing to good practice during daily endoscopic procedures. Medical staff may benefit from further education. With the gradual normalization amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, protection and management in endoscopy units may be changed accordingly.

Helping to know if you are properly protected while working in interventional cardiology

Occupational protection is still a challenge for interventional cardiology. One of the main problems is the occasional improper use of the ceiling suspended screen. We present a methodology to audit the correct use of the shielding using active electronic dosimeters. To improve the protection, we suggest the use of an alert based on the ratio between the occupational dose per procedure, measured by a personal electronic dosimeter over the lead apron, and the dose measured by an unshielded dosimeter, located at the C-arm. The new electronic dosimeters and the automatic dose management systems allow processing the dosimetric data for individual procedures and for the radiation events, sending the values (wireless) to a central database. We selected six interventional cardiologists and analysed 385 interventional procedures involving about 30 000 radiation events. Our results suggest that for individual procedures, standard values of the ratio between operator dose and the C-arm reference dose, should be between 1%-2% for a proper use of the shielding. Percentage values ≥5%-10% for individual procedures, require an analysis of the different radiation events to identify the lack of occupational protection and suggest corrective actions. In our sample, half of the operators should improve the use of the shielding in around 20% of the procedures. Using this ratio as an alert to operators allows optimising occupational radiation protection and discriminating between high occupational doses derived from complex procedures and high doses due to the improper use of the protective screen.

[Qualitative study on the cognition of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome occupational protection among the managers of multi-level stomatology medical institutions]

OBJECTIVE

To understand the current cognition of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) occupational protection among the managers of multi-level stomatology medical institutions in efforts to provide a reference for formulating technical standards for occupational protection.

METHODS

Eighteen managers of oral medical institutions were individually interviewed in-depth using asemi-structured questionnaire on issues related to AIDS occupational protection using the phenomenological research method. Nvivo 12.0 software was used to code and analyze the interview data, and relevant themes were extracted.

RESULTS

Three themes were extracted from the data. Occupational protection measures for AIDS in dental medical institutions mainly based on the aspects of standardized operation, standardized prevention, and post-exposure treatment. However, the implementation of these protective measures was often inadequate. Occupational protection training for AIDS was carried out regularly at dental medical institutions, but the training effect was not generally tracked. Several limitations in AIDS occupational protection management; these limitations included the lack of a specific occupational protection system, the difficulty of AIDS screening for outpatients, and the difficulty of AIDS occupational protection supervision.

CONCLUSIONS

Oral medical institutions should strengthen their occupational protection training and supervision approaches and formulate unified occupational protection standards to reduce occupational exposure and improve hospital management quality and efficiency.

Status of occupational protection in the COVID-19 Fangcang Shelter Hospital in Wuhan, China

Staff and employees "Zero infection" has been achieved during the whole medical activities in the COVID-19 Fangcang Shelter Hospital in Wuhan, China. This study analyses the personnel and environmental protection status of the East-West Lake Fangcang Shelter Hospital. The HCWs were mostly composed of national medical rescue teams, from different provinces in China. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, 82.64% of the HCWs had already known the proper procedure of wearing masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE). For the total of 634 participants entering the inpatient areas, 99.8% of them took occupational protection trainings via various methods. By carefully training and supervision, most of them were competent to work in the inpatient areas six hours/d, three-four times/week. Besides, 7.8% experienced different types of occupational exposure, which mainly caused by the damage of PPE. Once exposed, the HCWs would disinfect skin or mucous in time. No SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 48 air and environmental samples after regular disinfection and cleaning. To conclude, the bundle including intensive training, strengthened personal protection, strict environmental disinfection and timely remedial measures for occupational exposure had ensured the safety of the East-West Lake Fangcang Shelter Hospital.

[Research progress on occupational exposure and protection from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in stomatological departments]

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is an infectious disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The disease is highly infectious, quickly spreads, and has a high fatality rate. Hence, it is a major concern in public health, and an important subject in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. The medical staff of stomatological departments, which handle the diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases, are at particularly high risk of occupational exposure to HIV/AIDS. This study summarizes the HIV/AIDS epidemic status, disease transmission routes, oral lesions in HIV/AIDS patients, occupational exposure, and occupational protection in stomatological departments.