. 2012 Apr 12;38(6):931–939. doi: 10.1007/s00134-012-2542-z

Table 1.

Characteristics of included studies

Study	Design	Patients included (n)	Duration (months)	Setting	Domain^a	CHG intervention	Co-interventions or control group	Primary outcome	Secondary outcome(s)
Batra [13]	ITS	4,570	51	Single center, mixed ICU	Patients colonized or infected with MRSA	1 % CHG in nostrils/mouth/tracheotomy site QID	Educational campaign (reinforcing HH and barrier nursing, covert HH and barrier nursing audit and monthly MRSA infection rate feedback)	Transmission of MRSA colonization	–
						1 % CHA in groin/axillae/skin folds daily	MRSA colonized nursed in side rooms or pairs
						4 % CHG body wash daily	MRSA colonized nursed in side rooms or pairs
Bleasdale [10]	RCT	836	12	Single center, medical ICU	All patients	2 % CHG body wash daily with impregnated cloths	Daily bathing with soap and water	All-cause primary BSIs	All-cause UTI, VAP, and secondary BSIs.
Camus [14]	RCT	256^b	30	Multi-center, medical ICUs	Patients with expected duration of ventilation > 48 h	15 ml of 4 % CHG body wash every 12 h for 5 days with or without SDD	SDD plus “body wash placebo” or placebo only	All-cause infections acquired until 48 h after termination of study treatments	All-cause total and device-related infections
Climo [15]	ITS	5,043	12	Multi-center, medical, surgical, cardiac surgery; and coronary/medical ICUs	All patients	4 % CHG body wash daily	Daily bathing with non-medicated soap and water	Acquisition of MRSA and VRE colonization and BSIs	–
Gould [16]	ITS	2,653	48	Single center, mixed ICU	All patients	4 % CHG body and hair wash daily	Nasal ointment QID (a) 2 % fusidic acid; (b) 3 % oxytetracycline (only available first 6 months) or (c) 0.5 % neomycin sulphate w 0.1 % chlorhexidine hydrochloride	Acquisition of MRSA colonization and infection	S. aureus bacteremia
Popovich [17]	ITS	3,048^c	24	Single center, surgical ICU	All patients	2 % CHG body wash daily	Daily bathing with bar soap, warm water and cotton washcloths	Acquisition of all-cause CLABSIs	Acquisition of other nosocomial infections
Raineri [18]	ITS	3,978	120	Single center, mixed ICU	All patients	4 % CHG body wash daily for 5 days	Post-intervention education session for new HCWs, monthly infection control meetings, strict isolation, and cohorting	Acquisition of MRSA colonization and infection	–
Raineri [18]	ITS	3,978	120	Single center, mixed ICU	All patients	CHG shampoo on day 1 and 5		Acquisition of MRSA colonization and infection	–

BSI bloodstream infection, CHA chlorhexidine acetate, CHG chlorhexidine gluconate, CLABSI catheter-related bloodstream infections, ICU intensive care unit, ITS interrupted time series, MRSA methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, RCT randomized controlled trial, S. aureus Staphylococcus aureus, SDD selective digestive decontamination, UTI urinary tract infection, VAP ventilator-associated pneumonia, VRE vancomycin-resistant Enterococci

^aThe domain for the CHG intervention is stated. The domain for co-interventions can differ

^bOnly taking into account the “neither” and the “CHG” regimen patients

^cCalculated from mean monthly admission rate of 138 during 12 months at baseline and 116 during 12 months at intervention phase