title: Prophylactic antibiotics at the time of tracheotomy lowers the incidence of pneumonia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nosocomial pneumonia in relation to tracheotomy is a well-known complication. The aim of the present study was to study prophylactic antibiotics at the time of tracheotomy as a protective factor against nosocomial pneumonia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective follow-up study was conducted on otorhinolaryngeal cancer patients requiring a surgical tracheotomy over a four-year period. Data were extracted from a digital record system. The inclusion criteria included a cancer diagnosis in the otorhinolaryngeal area; and the tracheotomy had to be the primary operation. A total of 88 patients were eligible for inclusion, forming a group without antibiotics (n = 53) treatment and a group with antibiotics (n = 35) treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the group without antibiotics, 67% (n = 34) developed pneumonia (not including aspirational) versus 44% (n = 14) in the group with antibiotics (p = 0.04). The 30-day mortality was 10% (n = 9), and the one-year mortality was 58% (n = 42) for the total population, with no statistically significant differences between the groups. Pneumonia after tracheotomy prolonged the hospitalisation time regardless of grouping. In the group without antibiotics, the median was seven days for patients without pneumonia compared with 12.5 days for patients with pneumonia (p < 0.01). Within the group with antibiotics, the median was ten days for the patients without pneumonia versus 16 days for those with pneumonia (p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study indicates that prophylactic antibiotics administration at the time of tracheotomy lowers the incidence of pneumonia in otorhinolaryngeal cancer patients.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  not relevant.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  not relevant.
authors.affiliation: Medicinsk Afdeling, Amager Hospital, Italiensvej 1, 2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark. jarvela@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nicklas Järvelä
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Johansen
authors.forename: Christoffer Holst
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hahn
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010039:Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014140:Tracheotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*