Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38071555›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of hospital pharmacy : science and practice2025

Evaluation of the stability of aciclovir in elastomeric infusion devices used for outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy.

Fekade Bruck Sime, Steven Wallis, Conor Jamieson, Tim Hills, Mark Gilchrist, Mark Santillo, R Andrew Seaton, Felicity Drummond, Jason Roberts, BSAC OPAT Drug Stability Testing Programme

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European journal of hospital pharmacy : science and practice, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 31% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 7 institutions in 3 countries.

Fekade Bruck SimeUniversity of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia f.sime@uq.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4061-2063
Steven WallisUniversity of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Conor JamiesonNHS England, Birmingham, UK.
Tim HillsPharmacy Department, Nottingham University Hospitals, Nottingham, UK.
Mark GilchristDepartment of Pharmacy/Infection, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.
Mark SantilloUniversity Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, Plymouth, UK.
R Andrew SeatonDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, UK.
Felicity DrummondBritish Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, Birmingham, UK.
Jason RobertsUniversity of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
BSAC OPAT Drug Stability Testing Programme
The University of Queensland · AUBritish Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy · GBImperial College Healthcare NHS Trust · GBNHS EnglandNottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust · GBQueen Elizabeth University Hospital · GBUniversity Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo investigate the stability of aciclovir solutions in elastomeric devices used for outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT).

methodsTriplicates of two elastomeric devices, Accufuser and Easypump II, were filled with a solution of 200 mg, 2400 mg, and 4500 mg aciclovir in 240 mL 0.9% w/v saline. Devices were stored at room temperature for 14 days, followed by 24 hours storage at 32°C. Assessment using a stability indicating assay, pH and subvisible particle analysis was undertaken at 11 time points throughout the study.

resultsAciclovir solution at 200 mg and 2400 mg in 240 mL was stable for 14 days at room temperature (<20°C) and 24 hours of 32°C 'in-use' temperature exposure, remaining above the 95% limit for NHS stability protocols. The high dose was also stable for 14 days at room temperature, but when stored at 32°C there was precipitation of aciclovir within 4 hours in both devices. The precipitate was confirmed as aciclovir and precipitation was not a sign of chemical degradation.

conclusionsAciclovir concentrations above 2400 mg/240 mL are liable to precipitation and cannot be recommended for OPAT services because of heightened risks of nephrotoxicity. Aciclovir solution can be given as a continuous 24-hour infusion for OPAT services at a concentration range of 200-2400 mg in 240 mL in Accufuser and Easypump II elastomeric devices following 14 days storage at room temperature, protected from light.

Indexed as

AcyclovirAmbulatory CareAnti-Infective AgentsAntiviral AgentsElastomersInfusion PumpsDrug StabilityDrug StorageHumansInfusions, ParenteralAcyclovirAnti-Infective AgentsAntiviral AgentsElastomers

Identifiers

PMID38071555
PMCPMC12128774
OpenAlexW4389389279

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.