Infection prevention and control in cystic fibrosis: An update of a systematic review of interventions

Rowbotham, Nicola J; Smith, Sherie; Jahnke, Nikki; Milczanowski, Sarah; Elliott, Zoe C; Prayle, Andrew P; Smyth, Alan R

Abstract

Preventing transmissible infection is a priority in cystic fibrosis (CF) care. This is an update of a systematic review of the evidence for infection prevention and control interventions in CF.

Our full protocol can be found on PROSPERO (CRD42018109999). We searched for studies and guidelines which included interventions for infection prevention and control in CF.

We included 39 studies and 7 guidelines. Strategies included: cohort or individual segregation, hand hygiene, facemasks, equipment, enhanced adherence or a combination of these. Many studies showed a reduction in transmission with segregation. However, the certainty of evidence (using GRADE) was low or very low. Most guideline recommendations have little evidence to support them, with no updates since our original review.

Undertaking RCTs in this area is ethically difficult. Large-scale registry-based studies may be the best pragmatic approach. Benefits of infection control must be balanced against the intrusion in the lives of people with CF.

Citation

Rowbotham, N. J., Smith, S., Jahnke, N., Milczanowski, S., Elliott, Z. C., Prayle, A. P., & Smyth, A. R. (2024). Infection prevention and control in cystic fibrosis: An update of a systematic review of interventions. Journal of Cystic Fibrosis, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcf.2024.08.004

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 14, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Aug 28, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024-08
• Deposit Date: Aug 29, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 29, 2024
• Journal: Journal of Cystic Fibrosis
• Print ISSN: 1569-1993
• Electronic ISSN: 1873-5010
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcf.2024.08.004
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/38909074
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1569199324008300
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: Infection prevention and control in cystic fibrosis: An update of a systematic review of interventions; Journal Title: Journal of Cystic Fibrosis; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcf.2024.08.004; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of European Cystic Fibrosis Society.