Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 30, 2026

Murine Oropharyngeal Aspiration Model of Ventilator-associated and Hospital-acquired Bacterial Pneumonia
Published on: June 28, 2018
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.
Objectives:
To determine the incidence, etiology, risk factors and outcome of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) among mechanically ventilated patients.
Methods:
All PICU patients who were mechanically ventilated for >48 h were consecutively enrolled. The development of VAP was defined by the radiological and clinical criteria described by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention/National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance (CDC/NNIS) (2003). The risk factors for VAP were determined by univariate and multivariate analysis using appropriate statistical methods.
Results:
The median age of the subjects (N = 232) was nine mo with a male to female ratio of 1.3:1. Of 232 subjects enrolled, there were 15 episodes of VAP in 14 patients (frequency of 6.03 %) with a mean VAP rate of 6.3/1,000 ventilator days. Eight of the 15 VAP episodes showed positive endotracheal culture with Gram negative organisms as the predominant isolate with Acinetobacter being the commonest organism isolated (62.5 %). Neuromuscular disease (P = 0.005), histamine-2 receptor blockers (P = 0.0001), tracheostomy (P = 0.0001), and positive blood culture growth (P = 0.0008) were found to be significantly associated with VAP (univariate analysis). VAP patients had a significantly longer duration of mechanical ventilation (22.5 vs. 5 median days; P < 0.001), longer PICU stay (23.25 vs. 6.5 median days; P < 0.001) and longer hospital stay (43.75 vs. 13.25 median days; P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, only positive blood culture growth was a risk factor for VAP. The mortality rate of VAP was 42.8 % (not higher than those without VAP).
Conclusions:
Frequency of VAP was 6.03 % with neuromuscular disease, histamine-2 receptor blockers, tracheostomy and positive blood culture being risk factors for VAP.
Related Concept Videos
Pneumonia I: Introduction
Risk Factors
Various factors influence the likelihood of developing pneumonia. Age plays a crucial role, with infants, children under two, and individuals over 65 at increased risk due to their...
Pneumonia I: Introduction
Mechanical Ventilation II: Invasive Ventilation
Negative-Pressure Ventilators
Negative-pressure ventilators create a vacuum around the chest or body to draw air into the lungs, simulating breathing. This method does not require an...
Pneumonia III: Complications and Assessment
Pneumonia IV: Management
Bacterial Pneumonia Treatment
For bacterial pneumonia, antibiotics serve as the cornerstone of therapy. Initial treatment often begins with empirical antibiotics, tailored to the anticipated causative organism and adjusted based on culture results. Key antibiotic choices include:
Pneumonia V: Nursing management and Prevention
The nurse must practice strict medical asepsis and adhere to infection control guidelines to minimize healthcare-associated infections.
Enhance airway patency
Position the patient correctly to facilitate drainage of the affected lung segments. Manual or mechanical percussion and vibration can also be employed....

