title: Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in ventilator-associated pneumonia at a medical center in southern Taiwan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the significance of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDRAB)-related ventilator-associated pneumonia at a medical center in southern Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with MDRAB isolated from sputum and described the characteristics of these patients. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to their clinical pulmonary infection scores (CPIS), and their host factors and outcomes compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the patient group with significant MDRAB-related lung infection, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores were significantly higher than in those patients with lower CPIS scores (<6). However, the clinical outcomes, including the duration of hospitalization after isolation of MDRAB and mortality rate, were not different.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our investigation showed that significant lung infections with MDRAB isolation did not result in prolonged hospitalization or increased mortality. The initial clinical severity of the group with significant MDRAB-related lung infection was significantly greater than in the other. We propose that MDRAB-related pneumonia should be regarded as a signal of the clinical severity of the patient rather than as a prognostic factor.
authors.affiliation: Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming Hsin
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.forename: Hung Chin
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Susan Shin-Jung
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yung Hsing
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yao Shen
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shue Ren
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Wann
authors.forename: Yung Ching
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D018806:APACHE; D000151:Acinetobacter Infections / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053717:Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D013624:Taiwan