Antibiotic stability in portable elastomeric infusion devices: A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Infectious Diseases
• Clinical Pharmacy

Background:

• Outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) offers a viable treatment for infections.
• Limited data on antibiotic stability in portable elastomeric infusion devices hinders safe and effective OPAT.
• Elastomeric infusion devices are commonly used for continuous drug delivery in OPAT.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and analyze published literature on antibiotic stability in elastomeric infusion devices.
• To provide evidence supporting the use of these devices in OPAT.
• To identify gaps in current knowledge regarding antibiotic stability.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted.
• Searches were performed in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases in January 2021.
• 33 articles out of 1,615 identified studies met the inclusion criteria after rigorous review.

Main Results:

• The review analyzed the stability of 30 different antibiotics in elastomeric infusion devices.
• Significant variability in antibiotic stability was observed across studies.
• Poor stability of certain antibiotics in solution was a key finding.
• Inconsistent laboratory conditions across studies were noted.

Conclusions:

• This systematic review serves as a valuable resource for healthcare professionals administering OPAT.
• Further high-quality stability studies simulating real-life conditions are necessary.
• More research is needed to ensure the safe and effective use of elastomeric infusion devices for OPAT.