Eradication of Resistant and Susceptible Aerobic Gram-Negative Bacteria From the Digestive Tract in Critically Ill Patients; an Observational Cohort Study.

Sophie H Buitinck,Rob J Bosman,Rogier Jansen,Nardo J M Van Der Meer,Peter H J Van Der Voort

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2021.779805

Abstract

BackgroundSelective Decontamination of the Digestive tract (SDD) aims to prevent nosocomial infections, by eradication of potentially pathogenic micro-organisms from the digestive tract.ObjectivesTo estimate the rate of and the time to eradication of resistant vs. susceptible facultative aerobic gram-negative bacteria (AGNB) in patients treated with SDD.MethodsThis observational and retrospective study included patients admitted to the ICU between January 2001 and August 2017. Patients were included when treated with SDD (tobramycin, polymyxin B, and amphotericin B) and colonized in the upper or lower gastro-intestinal (GI) tract with at least one AGNB present on admission. Decontamination was determined after the first negative set of cultures (rectal and throat). An additional analysis was performed of two consecutive negative cultures.ResultsOf the 281 susceptible AGNB in the throat and 1,087 in the rectum on admission, 97.9 and 93.7%, respectively, of these microorganisms were successfully eradicated. In the upper GI-tract no differences in eradication rates were found between susceptible and resistant microorganisms. However, the median duration until eradication was significantly longer for aminoglycosides resistant vs. susceptible microorganisms (5 vs. 4 days, p < 0.01). In the lower GI-tract, differences in eradication rates between susceptible and resistant microorganisms were found for cephalosporins (90.0 vs. 95.6%), aminoglycosides (84.4 vs. 95.5%) and ciprofloxacin (90.0 vs. 95.2%). Differences in median duration until eradication between susceptible and resistant microorganisms were found for aminoglycosides and ciprofloxacin (both 5 days vs. 6 days, p = 0.001). Decontamination defined as two negative cultures was achieved in a lower rate (77–98% for the upper GI tract and 64–77% for the lower GI tract) and a median of 1 day later.ConclusionThe vast majority of both susceptible and resistant microorganisms are effectively eradicated from the upper and lower GI tract. In the lower GI tract decontamination rates of susceptible microorganisms are significantly higher and achieved in a shorter time period compared to resistant strains.

Highlights

Selective Digestive Decontamination (SDD) aims to prevent secondary infection by eradication of potentially pathogenic micro-organisms (PPM’s) from the respiratory and digestive tract (van Saene et al, 2003)
We have shown that high rates of decontamination in both susceptible and resistant microorganisms are achieved
These findings demonstrate that many susceptible and resistant microorganisms can be decontaminated from the gut with SDD

Summary

Introduction

Selective Digestive Decontamination (SDD) aims to prevent secondary infection by eradication of potentially pathogenic micro-organisms (PPM’s) from the respiratory and digestive tract (van Saene et al, 2003). This intervention has been studied in more than 70 RCTs and has been proven to be effective in infection prevention and mortality reduction (Silvestri et al, 2007; Silvestri and van Saene, 2012; Plantinga et al, 2018). Selective Decontamination of the Digestive tract (SDD) aims to prevent nosocomial infections, by eradication of potentially pathogenic micro-organisms from the digestive tract

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