Potential additional effects of iron chelators on antimicrobial-impregnated central venous catheters

Abstract Although central venous catheters (CVCs) play an important role in medical practice, their placement as foreign objects in the human body increases the risk of infection. Microbial colony and biofilm formation are likely to occur on CVCs. Infections caused by CVCs are referred to as catheter-related infections (CRIs), and can lead to longer hospital stays, increased medical costs, and in severe cases, bacteremia and death. The use of antimicrobial-impregnated catheters is recommended as a method to control CRIs. The efficacy of antimicrobial-impregnated catheters has been studied in basic experimental and clinical trials, but further improvements are still being sought, leading to studies on various combinations of iron chelators and antimicrobial agents to limit microbial and biofilm activity. Here, we hypothesize that a new type of CVC with an iron chelator in addition to antimicrobial agents might further suppress the occurrence of CRIs. This paper discusses the antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activities of iron chelators and proposes the possibility of creating a new type of CVC.