Medical applications of portable ozone water device for both maintenance of skin barrier function and hand hyagene in hospital-based nurses

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K11123
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58080:Gerontological nursing and community health nursing-related
• Research Institution: St. Luke's International University
• Principal Investigator: NAKANO Toshiaki 聖路加国際大学, 聖路加国際病院, 医長 (70306588)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 滝本 博明 北里大学, 理学部, 講師 (00253534) ; 藤村 響男 北里大学, 医学部, 講師 (50209087)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: オゾン水 / 噴霧型 / TEWL / 抗菌 / 角層水分量 / スキンバリア / 手湿疹 / 看護師

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We demonstrated single-center, cross-sectional and retrospective studies about hand eczema (HE). The survey was run by random selection of the prevalence, the severity, risk factors and skin barrier functions including the water content of the stratum corneum and the Trans Epidermal Water Loss (TEWL). We evaluated the effectiveness of atomizing ozone water for in vitro anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral activities compared to handwashing with soap, with hand alcohol and running water-type ozone water. Consequently, its prevalence and severities had increased since the COVID-19 pandemic started. Whereas lower water content of the stratum corneum and higher TEWL were considered as the risk factors for HE in nurses, atomizing ozone water has as broad anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral activities as the other hygiene methods. Moreover, nurses did not have significant skin irritation, and so atomizing ozone water is expected to become an additional hand hygiene option.

Free Research Field

皮膚科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

手湿疹の罹患率と重症度の悪化はQOLの低下に影響する。本研究では、噴霧型オゾン水が既存の消毒方法と同等に幅広い殺菌能を有することが実証され、オゾン水使用に伴う刺激感もなかったことから、正しい手指衛生法の選択と消毒方法を理解することにより、オゾン水による手指消毒が既存の手指衛生法に加わる手段として社会的に普及すれば、手湿疹の罹患率と重症度およびQOLの改善が期待される。本研究の結果は感染対策研究においても意義ある成果と考えられる。