Study to Determine the Difference in Reduction of Bioaerosols in a Long-term Care Facility (C-PolarLTC)

C-POLAR System Intervention in a Long-Term Care Facility HVAC Filter Study (C-Polar LTC)

This is a CONTROLLED PROSPECTIVE COHORT study of a long-term care facility. At the start of the study a dedicated section A of the facility ventilation system will have routine HVAC filters of the same dimensions installed, while section B of the same facility ventilation system will have C-POLAR (cationic polymeric coated) HVAC filters installed. There will be continuous Indoor Air Quality monitors (PM 2.5, CO2, VOC, Radon, Temp, and RH) installed at different vent locations throughout the long-term care facility for the duration of the study. Air samples with an Airport MD8 BAMS machine will be taken once a week at various vent locations at the long-term care facility.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Air Pollution
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Use of C-Polar coated HVAC Filter versus conventional HVAC Filter

Detailed Description

This is a CONTROLLED PROSPECTIVE COHORT study of a long-term care facility. At the start of the study a dedicated section A of the facility ventilation system will have routine HVAC filters of the same dimensions installed, while section B of the same facility ventilation system will have C-POLAR (cationic polymeric coated) HVAC filters installed. There will be continuous Indoor Air Quality monitors (PM 2.5, CO2, VOC, Radon, Temp, and RH) installed at different vent locations throughout Cottonwoods for the duration of the study. Air samples with an Airport MD8 BAMS machine will be taken once a week at various vent locations at the long-term care facility. The aim of this study is to determine the difference in reduction of bioaerosols in a long-term care facility with MERV 13 C-POLAR (cationic polymeric coated) HVAC filters compared to conventional MERV 13 HVAC filters.

Primary Endpoint:

This study aims to determine the reduction of bioaerosols (BAMS) in a facility with a C-POLAR HVAC filter building intervention versus conventional filters.

Secondary Endpoints:

1. Volatile organic compound (VOC)
2. Radon determination
3. Static, passive particulate determination from air
4. Air microbiome analysis
5. Air Quality and Respiratory Staff Survey

Radon gas testing, particulate matter testing (PM2.5) [fine inhalable particles, with diameters that are generally 2.5 micrometers and smaller]. Carbon dioxide testing (CO2), VOCs testing [volatile organic compounds (airborne chemicals)], relative humidity (RH) testing [it is a measure of the actual amount of water vapor in the air compared to the total amount of vapor that can exist in the air at its current temperature], and temperature readings.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 100
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Zachary Walbaum; Phone Number: 800-707-8550; Email: zacharywalbaum@interiorhealth.ca
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Michelle Smith; Phone Number: 800-707-8550; Email: Michelle.Smith3@interiorhealth.ca

Study Locations

• Canada
  • British Columbia
    • Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, V1Y 1T2
      • Kelowna General Hospital
      • Contact: Zachary Walbaum, MHE, MPhil

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Any resident, staff, and any individual who enters the long term care facility will be in a broad sense, involved in this study, as the MERV 13 HVAC filters will be installed within the HVAC system and will not allow anyone to not participate in the study who enters the facility. It is impracticable to carry out this research of comparing two different HVAC filters in an active long term care setting by receiving prior consent from all individuals who may enter, such as vendors or visitors. This research involves no more than minimal risk and may or may not improve air quality or minimize bioaerosols in the facility.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Does not wish to enter the long-term care facility until completion of study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Other: comparing the difference in reduction of bioaerosols between HVAC filters; comparing the difference in reduction of bioaerosols between HVAC filters.	Other: Use of C-Polar coated HVAC Filter versus conventional HVAC Filter; comparing the difference in reduction of bioaerosols between HVAC filters.; Other Names: comparing the difference in reduction of bioaerosols between HVAC filters.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The primary endpoint is comparing the difference in reduction of bioaerosols between MERV 13 HVAC filters.	The aim of this study is to determine the difference in reduction of bioaerosols in a long-term care facility with MERV 13 C-POLAR (cationic polymeric coated) HVAC filters compared to conventional MERV 13 HVAC filters.	Nine Months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: C-Polar Innovations
• Collaborators: Kelowna General Hospital
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Deanne Taylor, PhD, Kelowna General Hospital; Principal Investigator: Michael Mansour, MD, PhD, Harvard Medical School (HMS and HSDM)

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): September 5, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 11, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 17, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): July 18, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 22, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 18, 2024
• Last Verified: July 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Long-term care; Air Quality; HVAC Filter
• Other Study ID Numbers: H23-04137

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: All participant data will be anonymized

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No