Ventilator associated pneumonia: confection of a strategy of prophylaxis and management based on the analysis of epidemiology - Critical Care Science (CCS)

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Variable magnitude of impact on the outcomes of the critically ill patients has been credited to ventilation-associated pneumonia, in terms of mortality, length of hospital stay and mechanic ventilation days. Three objectives have been defined in this study: mortality and incidence of ventilation-associated pneumonia before and after the implantation of a prophylaxis protocol (primary objectives); microbiologic mapping (secondary objective) as an instrument to optimize therapy. METHODS: A historical cohort was followed during the period of August 2001 to January 2004, fragmented in two segments, pre (until January 2003, n = 52) and post-implantation of the mentioned protocol, the analysis of mortality and microbiologic mapping been performed in the second segment (control group n = 39 and case group n = 14). RESULTS: The incidence rates from 2001 to 2003 were respectively 28.05‰ ± 12.92‰, 22.45‰ ± 10.18‰ and 10.75‰ ± 7.61‰. The decrease in this rate after the intervention did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.4). Mortality rates were 49% in the control group (CI 95 = 33% to 65%) and 43% in the case group (CI 95 = 14% to 72%), OR = 0.88 (CI 95 = 0.26 to 2.94), without statistical significance either (p = 0.65). Eight bronco-alveolar lavage were obtained (57%), 50% with multiple flora. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated in six patients (75%), Acinetobacter sp in one case (12.5 %) and methicilin-resistent Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in one (12.5%). Other Gram negative bacilli producers of extended spectrum betalactamase (ESBL) were isolated in two cases (25%) and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in another (12.5%). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence rate of ventilation-associated pneumonia revealed a tendency to considerable reduction after the utilization of the prophylaxis protocol, while the results suggest no impact on mortality rates. Further prospective evaluation of a greater sample is required, in order to get to definite conclusions regarding prognosis. The isolated germs were, in its majority, high risk pathogens to multiresistance to antibiotics, pointing the necessity of knowledge of local susceptibility profile, so that an adequate initial therapeutic strategy can be undertaken.