Study of ventilator-associated pneumonia in a pediatric intensive care unit

Pooja Balasubramanian1, Milind S Tullu

  • 1Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Seth G.S. Medical College & KEM Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

Insights

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) occurred in 6.03% of mechanically ventilated pediatric intensive care unit patients. Key risk factors included neuromuscular disease and positive blood cultures, impacting ventilation and hospital stay durations.

Area of Science:

  • Critical Care Medicine
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pediatric Pulmonology

Background:

  • Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a significant nosocomial infection in mechanically ventilated patients.
  • Understanding VAP's incidence, etiology, and risk factors is crucial for improving patient outcomes in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence, etiology, risk factors, and outcomes of VAP in pediatric patients requiring mechanical ventilation for over 48 hours.

Main Methods:

  • Consecutive enrollment of 232 PICU patients on mechanical ventilation (>48 hours).
  • VAP diagnosis based on CDC/NNIS radiological and clinical criteria (2003).
  • Risk factor analysis using univariate and multivariate statistical methods.

Main Results:

  • VAP incidence was 6.03% (15 episodes in 14 patients), with a rate of 6.3 per 1,000 ventilator days.
  • Gram-negative organisms, particularly Acinetobacter, predominated in endotracheal cultures.
  • Significant univariate risk factors included neuromuscular disease, histamine-2 receptor blockers, tracheostomy, and positive blood cultures. Positive blood culture was the only significant multivariate risk factor.
  • VAP patients experienced longer mechanical ventilation, PICU, and hospital stays. Mortality was 42.8% but not significantly higher than in non-VAP patients.

Conclusions:

  • The study identified a VAP incidence of 6.03% in the studied pediatric population.
  • Neuromuscular disease, histamine-2 receptor blockers, tracheostomy, and positive blood cultures were identified as risk factors for VAP.
  • Positive blood culture emerged as a key independent risk factor for VAP in this cohort.
Abstract

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