Investigating antimicrobial features and drug interactions of sedoanalgesics in intensive care unit: an experimental study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Aim of this study was to evaluate antimicrobial effects and interaction between analgesic combinations of fentanyl citrate, dexmedetomidine hydrochloride and tramadol hydrochloride on and which are some of the most common nosocomial infection related microorganisms.

DESIGN

In vitro prospective study.

SETTING

University Clinical Microbiology Laboratory.

MEASUREMENTS

In order to evaluate in vitro antimicrobial effects and interaction between analgesic combinations, tramadol hydrochloride, fentanyl citrate and dexmedetomidin were used against ATCC 29213, ATCC 25922, ATCC 27853 and ATCC 10231 standard strains by microdilution method.

MAIN RESULTS

According to microdilution assays tramadol has shown the most efficient antimicrobial activity also it has been observed that 10 μg/ml concentrated dexmedetomidine has antimicrobial effects on and . Fentanyl has displayed evident inhibitory potency on the pathogens except for , nevertheless our predefined minimum concentration inhibited growth by 9.5 %. Fentanyl and dexmedetomidine together exhibited more antimicrobial effect on and growth. Additionally, when the three drugs examined together, microbial inhibition occurred more than expected on again and also on growth.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results revealed the antimicrobial properties and synergy with the different combinations of fentanyl, dexmedetomidine and tramadol against the most common nosocomial infection agents in the ICU. This is the first study in the literature looking into the microbial "interactions" of opioids and sedative drugs but more research is needed in order to define clinico-laboratory correlation.