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Adverse effects associated with ethanol catheter lock solutions: a systematic review
Leonard A Mermel1, Neha Alang2
1Department of Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA Division of Infectious Diseases, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA lmermel@lifespan.org.
The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
|June 4, 2014
Summary
Ethanol lock therapy, used for catheter infections, can damage catheters and cause systemic side effects. This review highlights risks including catheter occlusion, thrombosis, and toxicity, necessitating careful consideration of its use.
Area of Science:
- Medical Devices
- Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Antimicrobial lock therapy is common for preventing intravascular catheter infections.
- Ethanol is frequently used for antimicrobial lock therapy.
- A systematic review of ethanol lock adverse events is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review adverse events associated with ethanol lock therapy.
- To evaluate the impact of ethanol locks on catheter integrity and patient safety.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search of PubMed was conducted for articles published from May 2003 to March 2014.
- Bibliographies of relevant articles were also reviewed to identify additional studies.
Main Results:
- Ethanol immersion altered catheter properties, particularly polyurethane, causing polymer elution.
- Ethanol locks were linked to catheter occlusion (11 studies), increased thrombosis risk, and catheter integrity issues (6 studies).
- Systemic side effects, including liver function abnormalities, were reported in 10 studies.
Conclusions:
- Ethanol locks can cause structural catheter changes and polymer elution.
- Clinical evidence indicates systemic toxicity, increased catheter occlusion, and compromised catheter integrity associated with ethanol lock use.
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