The use of antimicrobial-impregnated fabrics in health services: an integrative review.
Guilherme Schneider, Felipe Lazarini Bim, Álvaro Francisco Lopes de Sousa and 3 others
PMID 33852687WHAT IT FOUND
Antimicrobial fabrics showed mixed results.
Patient linens and clothing reduced microbial load and infection indicators, but worker uniforms did not, and the evidence cannot separate fabrics from other controls.
Key findings
01Copper oxide-impregnated patient textiles were associated with lower infection indicators.
02Silver-impregnated worker uniforms did not reduce microbial contamination in the ICU nurse study or ambulance pilot.
03The review included only seven studies, five intervention and two in vitro, and some designs cannot separate textiles from other surfaces.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only seven studies were included, and most came from single facilities or wards. Some studies had no control group, no randomization, or retrospective infection surveillance. One study changed both surfaces and fabrics together, so the textile effect cannot be separated. Worker-uniform evidence was weak: one study in ICUs found no benefit and one small pilot found no decrease. No included study tested antimicrobial coats. The search used only five databases, so eligible studies may have been missed.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that antimicrobial fabrics alone prevent healthcare-associated infections. The strongest results came from wards that also changed other infection-control conditions, and one study changed surfaces and fabrics together, so the fabric effect cannot be separated.