Table 1.
Author Date Country |
Design | Setting | Participants | Tested ABHR volumes | Outcome measure(s) | Data collection method | Standardisation | Results |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MacDonald et al (2006) [27] UK |
NRT | Clinical | 84 HCWs |
1.75 ml 3.5 ml |
Hand coverage | UV lightbox |
Product ABHR gel containing fluorescent substance Application time no limit given Application technique rubbed hands as per their usual technique |
Mean missed areas (%) 1.75 ml: 6.35% 3.5 ml: 1.23% (P < 0.001) |
Kampf (2008) [19] USA |
Within-subject RCT | Laboratory | 16 volunteers | 2.4 ml 3.6 ml |
1) Bacterial load on hands; 2) Hand coverage |
1) Glove juice; 2) Visually observed for sufficiency to cover all surfaces |
Product 4 ABHRs—1. 85% ethanol, 2. 60% ethanol, 3. 62% ethanol, 4. 61% ethanol, reference 4% chlorhexidine; Application time rubbed hands until dry; Application technique covered all surfaces; Artificial contamination (Serratia marcescens) |
Mean log10 reduction (range for 4 ABHRs): 2.4 ml: 1.90–2.79 3.6 ml: 2.53–3.04 Volume had significant influence on the mean log10 reduction (P < 0.001) % of subjects with sufficient coverage of both hands 2.4 ml: 96.6% 3.6 ml: 93.6% |
Rotter et al (2009) [25] Austria |
Within-subject RCT | Laboratory |
1) 15 volunteers 2) 5 volunteers |
1ml 2 ml 3 ml |
1) Bacterial load on hands; 2) Drying time |
1) Fingertips; 2) Time measured until resistance noted |
Product Liquid ABHR, 2-propanol 60% (v/v); Application time 15 s Application technique 6-steps; Artificial contamination (E. coli) |
Mean log RF (SD) 1ml: 2.9 (0.6) 2 ml: 3.2 (0.7) 3 ml: 3.5 (0.6) Significant between 2 ml & 3 ml (P < 0.05); and between 1ml & 3 ml (P < 0.001) Mean (SD) drying time (seconds) 1ml: 23.4 (4.8) 2 ml: 35.0 (9.4) 3 ml: 49.4 (12.4) |
Goroncy-Bermes, Koburger & Meyer (2010) [32] Germany |
Within-subject NRT |
Laboratory | 16 volunteers |
2 ml 2.5 ml 3 ml 4 ml |
1) Bacterial load on hands; 2) Hand size; 3) Hand coverage |
1) Fingertips; 2) Hand size calculated as hand length x width; 3) Sufficiency to cover all surfaces self-reported by participants |
Product 2 ABHRs 1. 96% ethanol (46.0% w/w) + 2-propanol (27.0% w/w) + benzyl alcohol (1% w/w), 2. 96% ethanol (78.2% w/w) + 2-biphenylol (0.1% w/w), Reference liquid 2-propanol 60% (v/v); Application time 30 s; Application technique not explicitly stated; Artificial contamination (E. coli) |
Mean log10 reduction (for 2 tested ABHRs) 2 ml: 3.34 & 3.37 2.5 ml: 3.99 (only one ABHR tested) 3 ml: 3.94 & 4.47 4 ml: 4.19 & 4.52 For ABHR 1. 2 ml significantly lower reduction than for 3 ml (P = 0.009) or 4 ml (P ≤ 0.000) For ABHR 2. 2 ml significantly lower reduction than for 2.5 ml (P = 0.006), 3 ml (P = 0.001) or 4 ml (P = 0.001) Hand size Male hands significantly bigger than female hands (P < 0.001) No significant correlation between hand size and bacterial load reduction (P > 0.05) Number of participants reporting applied volume as sufficient to cover both hands (for 2 tested ABHRs) 2 ml: 7/16 & 4/16 3 ml: 14/15 & 15/15 4 ml: 14/15 (reported for one ABHR only) |
Girard et al (2012) [31] France |
Within-subject NRT |
Laboratory | 71 IPC workers |
1.5 ml 2 ml 3 ml |
Hand coverage | Sufficiency to cover all surfaces including the wrists (no details) |
Product 27 ABHR named but contents not reported Application technique 6-steps + wrists |
Number (%) of cases in which applied volume was sufficient 1.5 ml: 551/575 (95.8%) 2 ml: 530/538 (98.5%) 3 ml: 592/593 (99.8%) |
Kampf et al (2013) [20] Germany/USA |
Within-subject RCT |
Laboratory | 15 non-HCWs |
1.1ml 2 ml 2.4 ml Single pump press Double pump press |
1) Drying time; 2) Hand coverage |
1) Time measured until participants reported that their hands felt dry; 2) UV light box |
Product 3 ABHR—1. 85% (w/w) ethanol gel, 2. 70% (v/v) ethanol gel, 3. 70% (v/v) ethanol foam Application technique Covered all surfaces Application time rubbed until dry (for measuring hand coverage outcomes) |
Mean drying time (seconds) 1.1ml: 20–25 2 ml: 37–41 2.4 ml: 41–49 Single press: 20–29 Double press: 34–53 % of participants with incomplete coverage 1.1ml: 67–87% 2 ml: 27–53% 2.4 ml: 13–27% Single press: 80–93% Double press: 0–47% |
Li, XU & Zhao (2014) [17] China |
RCT | Clinical | 74 nurses |
1.8 ml 3.6 ml |
1) Bacterial load on hands; 2) Drying time |
1) Imprint technique; 2) Time recorded until hands were dry |
Product Gel ABHR; product contents not reported; Application technique 6-steps Application time not applicable (drying time measured as outcome) |
% reduction rate (SD) 1.8 ml: 92.2% (10.8) 3.6 ml: 96.1% (5.6) (P = 0.049) Drying time (seconds) 1.8 ml: 44.1 3.6 ml: 75.3 (P < 0.001) |
Macinga et al (2014) [22] USA |
Within-subject RCT |
Laboratory | 13 volunteers | Different volumes (unspecified) of 6 ABHRs | Drying time | Time measured until participants reported that their hands felt dry |
Product 6 ABHRs 1. 62% (v/v) ethanol foam; 2. 70% (v/v) ethanol foam; 3. 70% (v/v) ethanol gel; 4. 90% (v/v) ethanol gel; 5. 70% (v/v) ethanol rinse; 6. 80% (v/v) ethanol rinse Application technique rubbed hands until dry |
ABHR volumes indicated to dry in 30 s ranged from 1.7 to 2.1ml Drying rate (seconds/ml) ranged from 12.2 (95% CI, 9.8–14.7) to 18.2 (95% CI, 15.5–21.0) |
Bellissimo-Rodrigues et al (2015) [29] Switzerland |
Within-subject NRT |
Laboratory | 15 HCWs |
0.5 ml to 3 ml, in 0.5 ml variations (with addition of 4, 5, and 6 ml for large hands) |
1) Bacterial load on hands; 2) Hand size |
1) Fingertips; 2) Hand surface area calculation Small < 375cm2 Medium 376–424 cm2 Large > 425 cm2 |
Product liquid ABHR, 2-propanol 60%; Application time 30 s; Application technique 6-steps; Artificial contamination (E. coli) |
The mean bacterial reduction was 0.28 log10 for each additional 0.5 ml of ABHR (95% CI, 0.20–0.36; P < 0.001) Hand size Mean log10 reduction per each additional 0.5 ml of ABHR: Small hands 0.40 (95% CI, 0.27–0.52; P < 0.001) Medium hands 0.32 (95% CI, 0.21–0.42; P < 0.001) Large hands 0.15 (95% CI, 0.03–0.26; P = 0.011) Bacterial reduction was inversely and significantly associated with hand surface area (− 0.003 [95% CI, − 0.006– − 0.0005], P = 0.019) |
Wilkinson et al (2017) [34] UK |
Within-subject NRT |
Laboratory |
1) 5 volunteers 2) 15 volunteers 3) 15 volunteers |
0.5 ml to 3 ml, in 0.5 ml variations |
1) Bacterial load on hands; 2) Hand size; 3) Drying time |
1) Fingertips; 2) Hand surface area = 2.48 × hand length x hand breadth; 3) Time measured until participants reported that their hands felt dry |
Product 3 ABHRs—1. ethanol, 80% (v/v); glycerol, 1.45% (v/v); hydrogen peroxide, 0.125% (v/v) 2. isopropyl alcohol, 75% (v/v); glycerol, 1.45% (v/v); hydrogen peroxide, 0.125% (v/v) 3. Reference liquid 60% IPA: isopropyl alcohol, 60% (v/v); Application time 30 s (except when volumes were tested for drying times) Application technique 6-steps; Artificial contamination (E. coli) |
Log10 RF (for 3 tested ABHRs): 0.5 ml: 2.15–2.80 1ml: 2.22–2.98 1.5 ml: 2.82–3.08 2 ml: 3.22–3.81 2.5 ml: 3.80–4.27 3 ml: 3.91–4.60 Significant correlation between volume and bacterial reduction (P < 0.001) Hand size Log10 RF was not significantly associated with hand size (P = 0.9782) Drying times (seconds), (for 3 tested ABHRs) 0.5 ml: 10.07–11.40 1ml: 16.33–17.53 1.5 ml: 20.73–27.07 2 ml: 26.93–31.00 2.5 ml: 33.13–37.20 3 ml: 36.60–45.73 Drying time had a significant, positive association with volume (P < 0.001) |
Wilkinson et al (2018) [35] UK |
Within-subject NRT |
Laboratory | 15 volunteers | 0.5 ml to 3 ml, in 0.5 ml variations | Drying time | Time measured until participants reported that their hands felt dry |
Product 2 ABHRs—1. 60% (v/v) isopropanol; 2. 80% (v/v) ethanol + 1.45% (v/v) glycerol + 0.125% (v/v) hydrogen peroxide (each in liquid, gel & foam format) Application technique 6-steps; |
Mean drying times (seconds), for 2 tested ABHRs in 3 formats) 1.5 ml: 19.67–31.53 3 ml: 35.07–63.13 Increasing the volume increased the drying time (P < 0.001) |
Jain, Clezy & McLaws (2018) [28] Australia |
Crossover NRT | Clinical | 40 HCWs | 2 dispenser pump presses vs. 3 dispenser pump presses | Bacterial load on hands |
Fingertips (cultured for MRSA and VRE) |
Product foam ABHR; product contents not reported Application time rubbed until hands were dry Application technique 6-steps |
Number of plates with MRSA or VRE growth: 2 dispenser pumps: 2/40 grew 1 colony-forming unit of MRSA 3 dispenser pumps: No growth |
Suchomel et al (2018) [33] Austria |
Within-subject NRT |
Laboratory | 15 volunteers |
1ml 2 ml 3 ml |
1) Bacterial load on hands; 2) Hand size; 3) Drying time |
1) Fingertips; 2) Hand surface area calculation Small < 375cm2 Medium 376–424 cm2 Large > 425 cm2; 3) Time measured until participants reported that their hands felt dry |
Product ABHR 2-propanol 60% (v/v) liquid; Application time not applicable (drying time measured as outcome) Application technique 6-steps Artificial contamination (E. coli) |
Mean log10 RF (SD) 1ml: 1.99 (0.66) 2 ml: 2.96 (0.84) 3 ml: 3.28 (0.96) Mean log10 RFs were greater when larger volumes were used (P < 0.0001), but no significant difference between 2 ml & 3 ml (P = 0.08) Hand size and log10 RF (P = 0.698). Hand size and RF accounting for dry-times and volumes (R2 = 77%, P = 0.403) Mean (SD) drying (seconds) 1ml 24 (7) 2 ml 50 (14) 3 ml 67 (20) (P ≤ 0.030) Mean drying times were greater when larger application volumes were used (P < 0.0001) Regardless of volume Reduction fraction increased 0.29 log10 per 10 s increased drying time |
Kenters et al (2020) [21] Netherlands |
Within-subject RCT | Laboratory |
1) 9 HCWs; 2) 10 HCWs |
0.75 ml 1.5 ml 2.25 ml 3 ml |
1) Drying time; 2) Hand coverage |
1) Time measured until participants reported that their hands felt dry; 2) Hands photographed under UV light |
Product 65% ethanol, + 10% n-propanol (in gel, foam & liquid formats). For hand coverage outcome—ABHR in gel & foam format mixed with a 2% concentration UV marker; product contents not reported Application time rubbed until dry (for hand coverage outcome) Application technique 6-steps |
0.75, 1.5 & 2.25 ml dried within 20–30 s 3 ml dried between 37 and 56 s Hand coverage At least 2.25 ml required for optimal coverage. Foam covered 90% & gel 82% hands |
ABHR alcohol-based handrub, CI confidence intervals, E. coli Escherichia coli, HCW healthcare workers, MRSA Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, NRT non-randomised trial, RCT randomised controlled trial, RF reduction factor, SD standard deviation, UV ultraviolet, VRE vancomycin-resistant enterococci