[Bacterial infections in critically ill patients: review of studies published between 2006 and 2008]

A systematic revision of medical publications between 2006 and 2008 regarding bacterial infections that affect the critical patients was performed. Four subjects were selected: Community-acquired pneumonia, ventilator-associated pneumonia, catheter-related bloodstream infection and new antimicrobial treatments. When dealing with community-acquired pneumonia and due to the absence of completely reliable standards, it is necessary to follow the locally adapted guidelines of clinical practice, to identify patients related to the health-care system and admit patients to the ICU in accordance with the criteria. Regarding the etiological diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia, any microbiological information available must be used. Due to the risk of multidrug bacteria, combined empiric therapy should be initiated immediately and then mono-therapy adjusted to the antibiogram should be established. Already established measures for mechanical ventilation associated pneumonia and catheter-related bacteriemias, which have been effective, should be implemented. The empirical treatment of catheter-related bacteremia must be directed towards the most probable pathogens according to the puncture site. The most recently sold antibiotics are basically directed towards multidrug gram positive resistant bacteria. However, for the treatment of gram negative resistant bacilli, the use of the new antimicrobials must be combined with a new evaluation of the antibiotics that have been used for years and the possibility of choosing different administration forms.