title: Selective decontamination of the digestive tract.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this article is to review relevant studies on the topic of selective decontamination of the digestive tract published in 2006 and 2007.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The only recently published randomized controlled selective decontamination of the digestive tract study failed to demonstrate a benefit of selective decontamination on survival among trauma patients. In fact, two new meta-analyses of selective decontamination of the digestive tract studies were presented: one demonstrated reduced incidences of Gram-negative bacteraemia; in the other no reduction in fungaemia was found. Although selective decontamination of the digestive tract has been associated with increased selection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), transmission of MRSA was controlled in a Spanish unit when using selective decontamination in combination with topical vancomycin. Several randomized studies and one meta-analysis suggest that oropharyngeal decontamination with antiseptics is also highly effective in preventing respiratory tract infection in critically ill patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The evidence that selective decontamination of the digestive tract improves patient outcome in mixed ICU patients is still based upon meta-analysis and two single centre studies in MRSA-naïve settings. Larger and preferably multicentre studies are needed to confirm these observations. Further remaining questions are whether oropharyngeal decontamination alone is as effective as the full selective decontamination of the digestive tract regimen and whether selective decontamination could be applied successfully in settings with high levels of antibiotic resistance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Division of Perioperative and Emergency Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anne Marie G A
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: de Smet
authors.forename: Marc J M
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bonten
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003666:Decontamination / Q000379:methods*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents