Neonatal ethanol exposure from ethanol-based hand sanitisers in isolettes.
Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed
; 103(1): F55-F58, 2018 Jan.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-28588125
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
The aims of this study is to measure the ethanol vapours in the isolette after use of hands cleaned with ethanol-based hand sanitiser (EBHS).METHODS:
Two squirts (1.5 mL) of hand sanitiser were rubbed on hands for 10 or 20 s before inserting the hands in the isolette for 5 min. Ethanol vapours were measured in the isolette with photoionisation detector and alcohol breathalyser for 30 min.RESULTS:
Peak ethanol concentration in the isolette was considerably higher with a 10 s hand rub (381±192 ppm) compared with a 20 s hand rub (99±50 ppm), and dissipated to ≤5 ppm within 30 min. Under routine care, EBHS use by care providers exposes neonates in isolettes to 3.7-7.3 or 1.4-2.8 mg/kg ethanol per day with 10 or 20 s hand rubs, respectively. The expected blood level from average single exposure is 0.036 mg/dL with 10 s hand rub and may increase further with multiple exposures in a short period.CONCLUSION:
Preterm neonates in the isolette are at risk of inadvertent exposure to ethanol. The expected blood alcohol level from this exposure is small and below 1 mg/dL level recommended by European Medicines Agency to limit the ethanol exposure in children. The unintended ethanol exposure can be avoided by rubbing hands for at least 20 s after applying EBHS.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Inhalation Exposure
/
Ethanol
/
Hand Sanitizers
/
Incubators, Infant
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Humans
/
Newborn
Country/Region as subject:
America do norte
Language:
En
Journal:
Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed
Journal subject:
PEDIATRIA
/
PERINATOLOGIA
Year:
2018
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United States