Impact of a New Portable Air Purification Technology Device in the Pediatric Hospital Setting – A Pre-post Assessment Study

Introduction We assessed whether portable photo-electrochemical oxidation (PECO) air purification in the pediatric hospital room setting could improve health outcomes for patients admitted with respiratory distress. Methods We performed a prospective study evaluating the use of a portable air purifier with PECO technology. The historical control group comprised matched patients. Twenty-seven PECO-equipped portable air filtration devices were placed in the rooms. Clinical endpoints included length of stay in the hospital, length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), rates of intubation, non-invasive ventilation, and nebulizer use. Results The mean length of ICU stay was 0.7 days in the pre-intervention period and decreased to 0.4 days post-intervention. The mean length of overall hospitalization reduced by 0.3 days. The rate of non-invasive ventilation use was 77% in the pre-intervention period and decreased to 23% in the post-intervention period. The rate of nebulizer use was 59% in the pre-intervention period and 41% in the post-intervention period. The rate of intubation was 57.1% in the pre-intervention period and 43% in the post-intervention period. Conclusion Portable PECO air purification may reduce hospital length of stay, rates of intubation, and need for non-invasive intervention and nebulizers for pediatric patients admitted with respiratory distress.