Clinical
testing for Neu-Thera® Treated Gloves
An independent
skin research organization used quantitative tests to evaluate the effectiveness
of Cardinal Health's examination and surgical gloves treated with the Neu-Thera®
formulation. Wearers experienced significant positive effects of the treated gloves.
Nitrile examination gloves
In a controlled study,
25 female clinicians and one male clinician with dry skin tested the effectiveness
of a treated powder-free nitrile exam glove for improving dry skin.i
Baseline measures included: conductance (skin surface moisturization), colorimetry
(skin redness), TEWL (barrier function), cutometer measurements (skin elasticity),
silicone replicas (fine lines/wrinkles), and D-squame® skin sampling disks
(skin smoothness/flakiness). After baseline testing, subjects wore the test glove
on one hand and a control (nontreated) nitrile glove on the other hand for 12
successive 15-minute wear periods. The final wear period was followed by a final
3-hour rest period, and 30 minutes of equilibration at controlled temperature
and relative humidity environment. After equilibration, all measurements
taken at baseline were repeated. Test measurements revealed, compared to baseline,
that the hands that had worn the test glove showed: - A 12.6% increase
in skin moisturization.
- No increase in redness.
- No increase
in water loss.
- A 42% decrease in overall dryness.
- A 34% reduction
in fine flaking.
- A 58% reduction in coarse flaking.
The hands
that had worn the nontreated gloves showed an increase in skin roughness and lines.
Polyisoprene surgical gloves In a controlled study, 24 women
and one man with dry skin tested the effectiveness of an experimental therapeutic
powder-free nonlatex polysoprene surgical glove for improving dry skin on the
dorsum of their hands.ii The inside of the experimental gloves had
a therapeutic coating containing chitosan, gluconolactone, glycerin and provitaimin
B. There was no coating on the inside of the control gloves. Baseline measures
included: conductance (skin surface moisturization), colorimetry (skin redness),
TEWL (barrier function), Cutometer measurements (skin elasticity), silicone replicas
(fine lines/wrinkles) and D-squame® skin sampling disks (skin smoothness/flakiness).
After baseline testing, subjects wore the test glove on one hand and a control
glove on the other hand for three 1-hour wear periods and two 5-minute rest periods.
The final wear period was followed by a final 3-hour rest period and 30 minutes
of equilibration at controlled temperature and relative humidity environment.
After equilibration, all measurements taken at baseline were repeated.
Test
measurements revealed that, compared to baseline, the hands that had
worn the experimental glove showed: - A 54% greater increase in skin
moisture.
- Little change in skin redness —also true of the control
glove.
- A 154% lesser increase in total evaporative water loss, indicating
less deterioration of the skin’s barrier function.
- An increase in
overall elasticity, compared to a decrease in overall elasticity for the control
gloves.
- No significant change in fine flaking, coarse scaling, or desquamation
index for either glove.
There was a significant increase in lines
and creases (silicone replica) in the hands that had worn the control gloves.
References
i California Skin Research Institute. A controlled
use test with a nitrile exam glove in subjects with compromised skin. Final report.
CSRI #02-200. San Diego, CA: CSRI. April 22, 2003.
ii California Skin Research
Institute. A controlled use test with a polyisoprene surgical glove in subjects
with compromised skin. Final report. CSRI #03-118. San Diego, CA: CSRI. May 5,
2003. | 
