Glycerol Prolongs the Duration of the Bactericidal Effect of Isodine in the Oral Care of Patients with Tracheal Intubation

Abstract

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), which is one of the complications in patients under mechanical ventilation with tracheal intubation, continues to be a serious clinical problem. One of the important factors of VAP development is thought to be the dissemination of bacteria in the oral cavity into originally sterile lungs. To decrease in the oral bacterial population, a new mouth cleaning solution comprising 30% glycerol and 20-fold dilution of Isodine (solution A) was formulated. The bactericidal effect of solution A was compared with that of the undiluted Isodine (solution B) currently used for oral care. Solution B use decreased the average number of bacteria in the oral cavities of patients to about 55% at 4 hours after the oral care. Solution A produced a superior reduction in average number of bacteria to about 34% in the same time, and to about 59% at 6 hours.
These findings indicate that glycerol prolongs the duration of the bactericidal effect of Isodine in the oral care of patients with tracheal intubation, and that performing oral care with solution A is more effective than that with solution B. Solution A may therefore be potentially effective in reducing the occurrence of VAP.