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Incidence and risk factors for ventilator-associated pneumonia in 4 multidisciplinary intensive care units in Athens,

Eleni Apostolopoulou1, Petros Bakakos, Theophanis Katostaras

  • 1Nursing Department, Athens University, 36 Figalias Street, 145 64, Athens, Greece. ektelestiko@pasok.gr

Respiratory Care
|July 5, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) affects 32% of ICU patients requiring mechanical ventilation. Key risk factors include bronchoscopy, tube thoracostomy, tracheostomy, high APACHE II scores, and enteral feeding, guiding preventative care strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Critical Care Medicine
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pulmonary Medicine

Background:

  • Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a prevalent nosocomial infection in intensive care units (ICUs).
  • It represents a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among mechanically ventilated patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To prospectively identify factors associated with VAP development.
  • To determine the incidence of VAP in a cohort of ICU patients.

Main Methods:

  • A 6-month prospective study involving 175 patients requiring mechanical ventilation for over 24 hours.
  • Statistical analysis, including stepwise logistic regression, was used to identify independent risk factors.

Main Results:

  • VAP occurred in 32% of patients (56 out of 175).
  • Independent risk factors identified were bronchoscopy, tube thoracostomy, tracheostomy, an APACHE II score of 18 or higher, and enteral feeding.
  • Patients who developed VAP had a significantly longer duration of mechanical ventilation.

Conclusions:

  • VAP is a common complication in the ICU setting.
  • Specific interventions and patient characteristics are significantly associated with VAP incidence.
  • Awareness of these risk factors can aid clinicians in identifying high-risk patients and implementing targeted VAP prevention strategies.
Abstract

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