Patient-to-patient airborne exposure in patient and isolation rooms with 2 patients
Hagström, Kim; Kalliomäki, Petri; Gränvall, Ismo; Maula, Henna (2025)
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avautuu julkiseksi: 02.01.2027
Springer Nature
2025
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https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2026030217372
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2026030217372
Tiivistelmä
Recent COVID-19 pandemic has raised the public understanding how important role airborne transmission plays in transmission of infectious microbes. Transmission in hospital patient rooms may take place both in patient-healthcare worker (HCW) interaction, but also between patients sharing the room. An especial exposure situation would be, when medical treatment is provided to one of the patients, while others are present in the same room.
A protective flow concept with dynamic airflow control, individual thermal environment, and protective task airflow pattern has been developed. Its efficiency in reducing exposure risk have been verified between patients and HCW in the previous stages of research by full scale laboratory experiments for both patient and isolation rooms.
In this study the research question was, whether it is possible to further reduce patient to patient exposure by integrated localized ceiling exhaust above the patient. The research was conducted for both normal patient room and isolation room. In both cases two different airflow rates, similar to earlier studies, were used; basic airflow for the situation, where only patients would be present in the room and elevated airflow rate to be used for treatment situation with HCW present. A curtain between the patients was used as an additional variable. Both situations, with and without curtain, were tested with different airflow rates.
The results showed that addition of integrated exhausts above patient beds reduced the patient-to-patient exposure notably with the protective flow concept. The results emphasize the importance of exhaust positioning, when task specific ventilation systems are designed.
A protective flow concept with dynamic airflow control, individual thermal environment, and protective task airflow pattern has been developed. Its efficiency in reducing exposure risk have been verified between patients and HCW in the previous stages of research by full scale laboratory experiments for both patient and isolation rooms.
In this study the research question was, whether it is possible to further reduce patient to patient exposure by integrated localized ceiling exhaust above the patient. The research was conducted for both normal patient room and isolation room. In both cases two different airflow rates, similar to earlier studies, were used; basic airflow for the situation, where only patients would be present in the room and elevated airflow rate to be used for treatment situation with HCW present. A curtain between the patients was used as an additional variable. Both situations, with and without curtain, were tested with different airflow rates.
The results showed that addition of integrated exhausts above patient beds reduced the patient-to-patient exposure notably with the protective flow concept. The results emphasize the importance of exhaust positioning, when task specific ventilation systems are designed.