title: Potassium sorbate reduces gastric colonization in patients receiving mechanical ventilation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Tube feeding might increase gastric burden of pathogenic bacteria and predispose patients to ventilator-associated pneumonia. We sought to determine whether a tube feeding formula acidified using potassium sorbate could reduce gastric burden of potentially pathogenic bacteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, randomized, double-blind trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  RML Specialty Hospital, a facility with expertise in weaning patients from prolonged mechanical ventilation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients recovering from prolonged mechanical ventilation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were randomized to receive either a standard tube feeding formula (n=14) or a formula acidified using potassium sorbate to a pH of 4.25 (n=16).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Weekly quantitative cultures of gastric aspirates. The number of colony-forming units (CFUs) per patient was higher in the control than in the treatment group (53%+/-11% vs 9%+/-3.4%, threshold of >or=100,000 CFU/mL fluid, P=.003). The number of organisms isolated in each patient per week was higher among patients receiving standard tube feeding formula than among patients receiving acidified formula (0.91 +/- 0.20 vs 0.13 +/- 0.05 organisms per patient per week, threshold of >or=100,000 CFU/mL fluid, P=.0014). There was no difference in the incidence of gastrointestinal bleeding or ventilator-associated pneumonia between study groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tube feeding formula acidified using potassium sorbate was well tolerated and reduced gastric bacterial burden in patients recovering from prolonged mechanical ventilation.
authors.affiliation: The Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Loyola University, Stritch School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
authors.forename: Aiman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tulaimat
authors.forename: Aiman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tulamait
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Laghi
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mikrut
authors.forename: Roberta B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Carey
authors.forename: G R Scott
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Budinger
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016638:Critical Illness; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition / Q000379:methods*; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects; D013011:Sorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013270:Stomach / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D013011:Sorbic Acid