Research

Clinical and Economic Outcomes from the Installation of an Advanced Air Purification Technology in a Long Term Care Facility

A peer-reviewed short commentary published in the Journal of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine examining the clinical and economic outcomes of LifeAire’s advanced air purification technology in a long-term care facility over 15 months. The study compared LifeAire’s multi-stage system — combining VOC filtration, high-dose UV germicidal irradiation, and HEPA filtration — against standard HEPA filtration in a memory support unit. Documented outcomes included a 98.83% reduction in airborne pathogens, an 89.88% reduction in VOC levels, a 39.6% reduction in facility-acquired infections, and a 47% reduction in staff call-outs. The findings demonstrate meaningful improvements in resident wellness, safety, and facility economics. Published in Journal of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, July 2023. DOI: 10.24966/GGM-8662/100177. Authors: Urrutia, A.R.; Eid, S.; Bock, K.A.; Worrilow, K.C.

Research

Clean Room Technology in ART Clinics: A Practical Guide

A practical reference book on clean room technology in assisted reproductive technology clinics, co-authored by Dr. Kathryn C. Worrilow, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of LifeAire Systems, alongside Sandro C. Esteves and Alex C. Varghese. The book addresses the design, implementation, and management of controlled environments in IVF and ART laboratories, with coverage of air quality standards, VOC contamination control, particulate management, and the environmental factors that directly influence embryo culture outcomes and clinical success rates. Drawing on Dr. Worrilow’s more than 20 years of IVF laboratory directorship and her foundational research into the impact of ambient air on human embryogenesis, the book serves as a comprehensive resource for embryologists, laboratory directors, and ART clinic administrators seeking to optimize their facility’s environmental standard. Published via Amazon. Authors: Esteves, S.C.; Varghese, A.C.; Worrilow, K.C.

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Research

The Effects of an Advanced Air Purification Technology on Environmental and Clinical Outcomes in a Long-Term Care Facility

A peer-reviewed, IRB-approved study examining the impact of LifeAire’s advanced air purification technology on environmental and clinical outcomes in a long-term care memory support facility over a 15-month period. The study compared a LifeAire-protected unit with a HEPA-only control unit on the same floor, measuring airborne and surface pathogen burden, facility-acquired infection rates, and staff absenteeism. Documented outcomes in the LifeAire-protected unit included an 89.1% reduction in airborne pathogens, an 88.9% reduction in surface pathogens, a 39.6% reduction in facility-acquired infections, and a 47% reduction in staff call-outs. The findings confirm that advanced air purification delivers measurable improvements in both clinical outcomes and operational performance in long-term care environments. Published in The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, Volume 78, Issue 12, 2023. Authors: Urrutia, A.R.; Schlener, S.D.; Eid, S.; Bock, K.A.; Worrilow, K.C.

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Research

Proven Impact of an Advanced Air Purification System in the Reduction of Infectious Airborne and Surface Pathogens, Concomitant Reduction of Hospital-acquired Infections and Length of Stay, and Improvement in Health-care Economics

A peer-reviewed, IRB-approved operational clinical study examining the impact of LifeAire’s advanced air purification technology on airborne and surface pathogen burden, hospital-acquired infection rates, patient length of stay, and healthcare economics. Conducted at St. Luke’s University Health Network, the study compared a LifeAire-protected unit with a HEPA-only control unit over 12 months across 8,255 patients. Documented outcomes in the protected unit included a 99.99% reduction in viable airborne pathogens, a 97% reduction in surface pathogens, a 30% reduction in hospital-acquired infections, a 39% reduction in patient length of stay, and a 23% improvement in per-bed economics. Published in the Journal of Global Infectious Diseases, March 2023.

Research

The Positive Impact of a Novel Air Purification Technology on Environmental and Clinical Outcomes

A peer-reviewed conference abstract examining the impact of LifeAire’s advanced air purification technology on environmental and clinical outcomes in a long-term care facility. The study deployed LifeAire’s system in a memory support unit and compared environmental and clinical metrics against a HEPA-only control unit on the same floor. The technology, designed to destroy the DNA and RNA of all bacteria, fungi, and viruses on a single pass while also remediating volatile organic compounds, produced measurable improvements in airborne and surface pathogen burden, facility-acquired infection rates, and staff absenteeism. Published in Innovation in Aging, Volume 5, Supplement 1, December 2021. Presented at the Gerontological Society of America Annual Meeting. Authors: Schlener, S.D.; Urrutia, A.R.; Worrilow, K.C.; Bock, K.

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Research

The Economic and Workforce Implications of Facility Acquired Infections

A conference presentation by Dr. Kathryn C. Worrilow, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of LifeAire Systems, delivered at the LeadingAge Fall Financial Conference. The presentation examines the economic and workforce implications of facility-acquired infections in long-term care environments, addressing the financial burden of HAIs on facility operations, the impact of staff absenteeism driven by airborne pathogen exposure, and the return on investment case for advanced air purification as a proactive infection control strategy. Drawing on LifeAire’s peer-reviewed clinical evidence from long-term care settings — including a 39.6% reduction in facility-acquired infections and a 47% reduction in staff call-outs — the presentation makes the financial and operational case for comprehensive airborne pathogen remediation in senior living and memory care environments. Presented at the LeadingAge Fall Financial Conference, 2023. Author: Worrilow, K.C.

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Research

The Effects of Air Purification Technology on Environmental and Clinical Metrics in Two Healthcare Settings

A peer-reviewed, IRB-approved post-hoc synthesis of two independent clinical studies examining the impact of LifeAire’s advanced air purification technology on environmental and clinical metrics in two healthcare settings: an acute care hospital medical-surgical floor and a long-term care memory support unit. Both facilities showed significant reductions in airborne and surface bacterial and fungal pathogens and VOC levels. The hospital demonstrated a 39.5% reduction in patient length of stay and 23% cost savings. The long-term care facility showed a 39.6% reduction in facility-acquired infections and a 47% reduction in staff call-outs. Published in ASHRAE Transactions, Volume 128, Part 2, June 2022. Authors: Worrilow, K.C.; Stawicki, S.P.; Schlener, S.D.; Urrutia, A.R.; Kimble, C.N.

Research

Modeling the equilibrium partitioning of low concentrations of airborne volatile organic compounds in human IVF laboratories

A peer-reviewed study published in Reproductive BioMedicine Online examining the equilibrium partitioning behavior of volatile organic compounds at low concentrations in human IVF laboratory environments. Using mathematical modeling, the study investigates how airborne VOCs at trace concentrations distribute between the gas phase and biological media including culture media and embryonic cells, demonstrating the potential for molecular-level chemical contamination of the embryo culture environment. The findings support the clinical rationale for comprehensive VOC remediation in IVF laboratories as a necessary component of embryo protection. Published in Reproductive BioMedicine Online, May 2022. Authors: Fox, J.T.; Ni, P.; Urrutia, A.R.; Huynh, H.T.; Worrilow, K.C.

Research

Reduced FAIs & Staff Call-Outs, A 15-Month Study

A conference presentation delivered at the 2021 NADSA National Conference reporting preliminary findings from a 15-month IRB-approved study of LifeAire’s advanced air purification technology in a long-term care memory support facility. The study compared a LifeAire-protected unit with a HEPA-only control unit on the same floor, measuring airborne and surface pathogen burden, facility-acquired infection rates, and staff absenteeism over the full study period. Results demonstrated significant reductions in facility-acquired infections and staff call-outs in the LifeAire-protected unit. This conference presentation preceded the full peer-reviewed publication of the study’s findings in The Journals of Gerontology: Series A (2023) and in the Journal of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine (2023). Presented at the 2021 NADSA National Conference, October 2021. Authors: Schlener, S.; Urrutia, A.R.; Worrilow, K.C.

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Research

Effectiveness of germicidal ultraviolet light to inactivate coronavirus on personal protective equipment to reduce nosocomial transmission

A peer-reviewed laboratory study published in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology examining the effectiveness of germicidal ultraviolet light to inactivate human coronaviruses on N95 respirators, supporting safe PPE reuse. Researchers tested two commercially available portable GUV devices — including a LifeAire Systems unit — against three coronaviruses: HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, and SARS-CoV-2. GUV treatment achieved average viral titer reductions of 5-log for HCoV-229E, 3-log for HCoV-OC43, and 5-log for SARS-CoV-2 on respirator surfaces. The findings confirm that LifeAire’s GUV technology is effective at decontaminating N95 respirators from human coronaviruses, supporting its potential to reduce nosocomial transmission. Published in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, June 2021. Authors: Camargo, C.; Lupien, A.; McIntosh, F.; Menzies, D.; Behr, M.A.; Sagan, S.M.