Risk factors for treatment failure in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia receiving appropriate antibiotic

Gul Gursel1, Muge Aydogdu, Ezgi Ozyilmaz

  • 1Department of Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine, Gazi University School of Medicine, Besevler, Ankara, Turkey. ggursel@gazi.edu.tr

Abstract

Insights

Patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) who have comorbidities, are severely ill, and have low lymphocyte counts face a higher risk of treatment failure. Identifying these factors is crucial for improving VAP outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Critical Care Medicine
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pulmonology

Background:

  • Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in intensive care units (ICUs).
  • Identifying predictors of treatment failure (TF) is essential for optimizing patient management and outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate modifiable risk factors and predictors for treatment failure (TF) in patients with VAP receiving appropriate antibiotic therapy.
  • To identify patient, microbial, and ICU therapy-related factors associated with VAP treatment failure.

Main Methods:

  • An observational cohort study was conducted in a university hospital ICU.
  • Eighty-nine patients diagnosed with VAP were consecutively enrolled.
  • Treatment failure was defined as a lack of clinical and microbiological response within two weeks of therapy.

Main Results:

  • Fifty-three out of eighty-nine patients experienced treatment failure.
  • Independent predictors for TF included comorbidities (OR, 4.4), VAP-APACHE II scores >16 (OR, 6.4), low daily carbohydrate intake <190 g/d (OR, 3), and lymphocytopenia <1000/mm³ (OR, 4.1).
  • Patients with TF were older, had more comorbidities, higher APACHE II scores, and lower carbohydrate intake and lymphocyte counts.

Conclusions:

  • Severely ill patients with VAP, characterized by comorbidities and lymphocytopenia, are at a significantly higher risk for treatment failure.
  • These findings highlight the importance of early identification and management of these risk factors to improve VAP treatment success.

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