Bacterial adherence on UHMWPE doped with Vitamin E: An in vitro study

Abstract

Biomaterials may improve its capacity to resist bacterial adherence, and subsequent infection through material changes. Our aim was to test the bacterial adherence to vitamin E (VE) doped UHMWPE with S. aureus and S. epidermidis (collection and clinical strains), compared to virgin material. Experimental UHMWPE with 3%, 0.4%, and commercial 0.1% VE concentration (1000 ppm) were tested. The biofilm-developing ability was used as a covariable. The collection strain of S. aureus showed significantly less adherence to the commercial VE UHMWPE (p=0.036) but the clinical strains did not significantly modified its adhesion to UHMWPE in presence of VE. The collection strain of S. epidermidis showed significantly less adherence to experimental UHMWPE with VE, independently of the concentration used (p=0.008). However, only 1 of the 4 clinical strains under study clearly confirmed these results in commercial VE polyethylene. Vitamin E doped UHMWPE affects the adherence of some S. aureus and S. epidermidis strains, independently of the concentration in use, but the results showed important intraspecies differences. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd.