Retrospective study on clinical features and risk factors of ventilator-associated pneumonia.
OBJECTIVE
To deepen the understanding about ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).


METHODS
Patients admitted to the respiratory intensive care unit from Jan  1996 approximately Oct  1999 were divided into two groups, with or without VAP, according to the diagnosis criteria. The comparative analysis was performed in clinical characteristics, risk factors, distribution of pathological organisms and prognosis.


RESULTS
The incidence of VAP was 48.3% (28/58 cases). The cases with deep venous catheter in VAP group were much more than non-VAP group  P < 0.05  . The duration of ventilation >/= 20 days among the patients of VAP group was 32.1%,while it was 6.7% in non-VAP group. 53 microorganisms were isolated from 25 patients with VAP. The main pathogens were  Acinetobacter spp  (32.1%), P. Aeruginosa  (20.8%) and C.albicans  (22.6%). The mortality rate of VAP group was 32.1%, significantly higher than that of non-VAP group (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The risk factors of VAP may be the use of deep venous catheter and long duration of ventilation. The main pathogens were Acinetobacter species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa,  and yeasts. The presence of VAP could significantly increase the mortality of patients.
Sun
Tieying
T
Department of Respiratory Disease, Beijing Hospital, Beijing 100730, China Email  suntieying@hotmail.com
Li
Yanming
Y
Hu
Yunjian
Y
Et Al
D000150:Acinetobacter; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D053717:Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors