title: Number needed to treat for subglottic secretion drainage technology as a ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention strategy.
abstract: The number needed to treat can be calculated for ventilator-associated pneumonia reduction strategies such as subglottic secretion drainage technology based on previous work establishing its relative risk reduction. Assuming an incidence of 4%, employing subglottic secretion drainage in 33 patients will prevent one case of ventilator-associated pneumonia, and thus potentially 4 cases annually in an average hospital in the United States. With a previously described limit of £300 ($470 USD) additional cost per 10 days of ventilation as a threshold of investment for technologies to reduce ventilator-associated pneumonia, subglottic secretion drainage technology is both clinically and cost effective.
authors.forename: Scott D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Kelley
mesh_terms: D020811:Biomedical Technology / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D061366:Numbers Needed To Treat; D053717:Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control*