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Updated: Mar 24, 2026

Murine Oropharyngeal Aspiration Model of Ventilator-associated and Hospital-acquired Bacterial Pneumonia
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Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics of Ventilator-associated Pneumonia in Pediatric Intensive Care Units

Shahareh Babai1,2, Mojtaba Parastegari3, Nazanin Zibanejad1,2

  • 1Department of Pediatric Intensive Care, Imam Hossein Children Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

Advanced Biomedical Research
|March 23, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) affects 41.2% of pediatric ICU patients on mechanical ventilation. This study identified common pathogens and found VAP significantly increases hospital stay duration.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric critical care medicine
  • Infectious diseases
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a significant concern in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs), driving antibiotic use.
  • High prevalence and treatment costs necessitate epidemiological and clinical studies on VAP.
  • Understanding VAP's association with patient factors is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the frequency of VAP in mechanically ventilated children.
  • To investigate the association of VAP with age, sex, and initial diagnosis.
  • To identify common VAP pathogens and their antimicrobial resistance patterns.

Main Methods:

  • VAP diagnosis based on established pediatric clinical and radiological criteria.
  • Analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids for pathogen identification and antimicrobial susceptibility.
  • Retrospective review of 119 pediatric patients undergoing mechanical ventilation.

Main Results:

  • VAP was diagnosed in 41.2% (49/119) of pediatric ICU patients.
  • Predominant pathogens included Acinetobacter (30.6%), Klebsiella (18.4%), and Pseudomonas (10.2%).
  • Mortality rates were similar between VAP and non-VAP groups (38.8% vs. 38.7%).

Conclusions:

  • VAP is frequent in mechanically ventilated children, associated with Gram-negative bacteria.
  • VAP significantly prolongs mechanical ventilation duration, ICU stay, and overall hospitalization.
  • Despite similar mortality, VAP imposes a substantial burden on healthcare resources.
Abstract

Keywords:
Antimicrobial resistancebronchoalveolar lavageepidemiologypediatric intensive care unitventilator-associated pneumonia

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