Diagnosis Of Nosocomial Pneumonia Research Articles

415. Epidemiological Evaluation of Antibiotic Resistance and Subsequent Effect on Healthcare Resource Utilization among Subjects with Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections in Italy

Abstract Background The aims of the study were to 1) evaluate the prevalence of multidrug resistant (MDR) /Extensively drug resistant (XDR) strains among hospitalized adults with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infections, and 2) examine whether antimicrobial resistance in PA infections is associated with worsening functional status and higher health care resource utilization (HCRU). Methods This multicenter prospective study was conducted in 9 large Italian teaching hospitals between June 2018-February 2020. We included patients aged ≥18 years with a diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia (NP), complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI) or complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAI) due to PA as confirmed by local evaluation of microbiological results. MDR PA was defined as acquired non-susceptibility to at least one agent in three or more antimicrobial categories. XDR PA was defined as acquired non-susceptibility to at least one agent in all but two or fewer antimicrobial categories. HCRU metrics evaluated included hospital length of stay (LOS) and intensive care unit (ICU) LOS. Results A total of 95 patients with a nosocomial infection due to PA were enrolled. The main baseline characteristics of overall patients were reported in Table 1. Almost one-third of patients (28.4%) reported either MDR or XDR PA infection, with more patients experiencing MDR (Table 1). Health care resource use stratified by patients with and without MDR/XDR status are reported in Table 2. Overall, in our study population, median hospital LOS and ICU LOS were 42.0 (IQR=39.0) and 15.5 (IQR=37.0) days, respectively. There was a statistically significant longer median hospital LOS for patients with MDR/XDR infections compared to non MDR/XDR PA infections (53.0 vs. 36.5 days, p=0.04). ICU LOS also trended towards being longer for patients with MDR/XDR infections compared to those with non-MDR/XDR infections (25.5 vs. 13.5 days, p=0.10). Conclusion MDR/XDR isolates were prevalent among patients with nosocomial infections due to PA, particularly in those with cIAI. Overall, the present study may suggest a positive correlation between having MDR-XDR PA nosocomial infections (NP, cUTI, and cIAI) and increased HCRU that require further attention from a disease management perspective. Disclosures Matteo Bassetti, PhD, Angelini: Advisor/Consultant|Astellas: Grant/Research Support|Bayer: Advisor/Consultant|Bayer: Honoraria|BioMe ́ rieux: Advisor/Consultant|BioMe ́ rieux: Honoraria|Cidara: Advisor/Consultant|Cidara: Honoraria|Cipla: Advisor/Consultant|Cipla: Honoraria|Gilead: Advisor/Consultant|Gilead: Honoraria|Menarini: Advisor/Consultant|Menarini: Honoraria|MSD: Advisor/Consultant|MSD: Honoraria|Nabriva: Advisor/Consultant|Pfizer: Advisor/Consultant|Pfizer: Board Member|Pfizer: Grant/Research Support|Pfizer: Honoraria|Shionogi: Advisor/Consultant|Shionogi: Honoraria|Tetraphase: Advisor/Consultant Francesco Menichetti, n/a, Aneglini: Advisor/Consultant|Aneglini: Board Member|Aneglini: Grant/Research Support|Aneglini: Honoraria|Astellas: Advisor/Consultant|Astellas: Honoraria|Becton: Advisor/Consultant|Becton: Honoraria|bioMérieux: Advisor/Consultant|bioMérieux: Honoraria|Biotest: Advisor/Consultant|Biotest: Board Member|Biotest: Honoraria|Bristol-Myers Squibb: Advisor/Consultant|Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria|Correvio: Advisor/Consultant|Correvio: Speaker honoraria|Dickinson: Advisor/Consultant|Dickinson: Honoraria|Gilead: Advisor/Consultant|Gilead: Grant/Research Support|Janssen: Advisor/Consultant|Janssen: Honoraria|MSD: Advisor/Consultant|MSD: Speaker honoraria|Nordic pharma: Board Member|Nordic pharma: Honoraria|Pfizer: Advisor/Consultant|Pfizer: Honoraria|Shionogi: Advisor/Consultant|Shionogi: Honoraria|ViiV: Advisor/Consultant|ViiV: Honoraria Nicola Petrosillo, n/a, Becton & Dickinson,: Honoraria|MSD: Honoraria|ohnson & Johnson: Honoraria|Pfizer: Honoraria|Shionogi: Honoraria.

Neumonía nosocomial

Nosocomial pneumonia is an acute infectious disease of the pulmonary parenchyma that is acquired in the hospital after at least 48hours of hospitalization. It is the second most frequent cause of hospital-acquired infection and the main cause of death due to nosocomial infection, with a high economic impact. Preventative measures have taken on great relevance in order to avoid its onset. In regard to etiology, it can be caused by a wide variety of microorganisms; it can even be polymicrobial, including multidrug-resistant organisms. The diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia is complicated and requires the sum of compatible clinical, analytical, radiological, and microbiological findings. Treatment must be started early when nosocomial pneumonia is suspected, especially ventilator-associated pneumonia and in the case of septic or intensely affected patients. Treatment should offer empirical coverage of multidrug-resistant organisms in accordance with the patient's characteristics, prevalences, and the usual flora of each center and unit. Starting inappropriate antibiotic treatment is associated with greater mortality. Once the microorganism responsible and its antibiogram are known, antibiotic treatment must be adjusted or «scaled down». This allows for reducing the inappropriate use of antibiotics or even decreasing mortality compared to empirical antibiotic treatment.

Pragmatic Comparison of Piperacillin/Tazobactam versus Carbapenems in Treating Patients with Nosocomial Pneumonia Caused by Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae.

The effectiveness of piperacillin/tazobactam for managing nosocomial pneumonia caused by extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae is unknown. To answer this question, we conducted a retrospective cohort study in two tertiary teaching hospitals of patients admitted between January 2018 and July 2021 with a diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia caused by ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae receiving either piperacillin/tazobactam or carbapenems within 24 h from the onset of pneumonia for at least 72 h. Clinical outcomes, including 28-day mortality and 14-day clinical and microbiological cure, were analyzed. Of the 136 total patients, 64 received piperacillin/tazobactam and 72 received carbapenems. The overall 28-day mortality was 19.1% (26/136). In the inverse probability of treatment weighted cohort, piperacillin/tazobactam therapy was not associated with worse clinical outcomes, as the 28-day mortality (OR, 0.82, 95% CI, 0.23–2.87, p = 0.748), clinical cure (OR, 0.94, 95% CI, 0.38–2.35, p = 0.894), and microbiological cure (OR, 1.10, 95% CI, 0.53–2.30, p = 0.798) were comparable to those of carbapenems. Subgroup analyses also did not demonstrate any statistical differences. In conclusion, piperacillin/tazobactam could be an effective alternative to carbapenems for treating nosocomial pneumonia due to ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae when the MICs are ≤8 mg/L.

98. Clinical and Pharmacoeconomic Impact of Rapid Diagnostic Pneumonia Panel in Critically Ill Patients Admitted with Nosocomial Pneumonia

BackgroundRapid identification of causative organisms and tailored antibiotic therapy is essential to improving patient outcomes in critically ill patients with nosocomial pneumonia (NP). The BioFire ® FilmArray ® Pneumonia Panel (BFPP) can identify and semi-quantify the causative organisms via PCR. However, there is limited evidence of its implementation and utility within antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) in managing NP.MethodsThis was an IRB-approved retrospective pre- and post-interventional study at an acute care hospital. Critically ill patients were included in the intervention group (IG) with a confirmed diagnosis of NP and had BFPP performed. Patients in IG were matched on a 2:1 ratio to a comparator group (CG) who did not receive BFPP. The primary endpoint was clinical cure (CC), defined as: 1) resolution of symptoms and/or leukocytosis; or 2) radiographic improvement; or 3) expression of CC noted by infectious disease physician. Secondary endpoints include time to escalation, de-escalation, or discontinuation of antibiotics, and inpatient mortality (IM). In addition, a pharmaco-economic analysis of the utilization of this panel was conducted.ResultsThere were 52 patients evaluated, of which 26 were included in IG and 13 were matched to be included in CG. Demographics were similar between the two groups. No difference in CC was observed between IG and CG (38.5% vs 38.5%, p = 1). However, when evaluating ASP interventions, more patients in IG had de-escalation (53.8% vs 15.4%, p = 0.01) and discontinuation (50% vs 7.7%, p = 0.003) performed compared to CG. No difference was seen in escalation of therapy (34.6% vs 30.8%, NS) and IM (26.9% vs 46.2%, p = 0.27). Time to ASP intervention was quicker by 24 hours in IG vs CG (24 vs 48 hours, p = 0.01). No difference was seen in total cost of therapy between the two groups ($289,500 vs $243,705, p = 0.6). However, cost savings of $31,000 was seen in total cost of ICU care in IG vs CG ($144,000 vs $175,000, p = 0.032).Figure 1: ASP Intervention ConclusionThere was no observed impact of BFPP on CC and IM in critically ill patients. However, utilization of BFPP led to faster time to ASP interventions and higher rates of de-escalation and discontinuation of antibiotics. When utilized as part of ASP, BFPP can serve to be a cost-effective option for critically ill patients.Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Deep odontogenic infections\u2014identifying risk factors for nosocomial pneumonia

ObjectivesTo evaluate occurrence and risk factors for pneumonia in patients with deep odontogenic infection (OI).Materials and methodsAll patients treated for deep OIs and requiring intensive care and mechanical ventilation were included. The outcome variable was diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia. Primary predictor variables were re-intubation and duration of mechanical ventilation. The secondary predictor variable was length of hospital stay (LOHS). The explanatory variables were gender, age, current smoking, current heavy alcohol and/or drug use, diabetes, and chronic pulmonary disease.ResultsNinety-two patients were included in the analyses. Pneumonia was detected in 14 patients (15%). It was diagnosed on postoperative day 2 to 6 (median 3 days, mean 3 days) after primary infection care. Duration of mechanical ventilation (p = 0.028) and LOHS (p = 0.002) correlated significantly with occurrence of pneumonia. In addition, re-intubation (p = 0.004) was found to be significantly associated with pneumonia; however, pneumonia was detected in 75% of these patients prior to re-intubation. Two patients (2%) died during intensive care unit stay, and both had diagnosed nosocomial pneumonia. Smoking correlated significantly with pneumonia (p = 0.011).ConclusionSecondary pneumonia due to deep OI is associated with prolonged hospital care and can predict the risk of death. Duration of mechanical ventilation should be reduced with prompt and adequate OI treatment, whenever possible. Smokers with deep OI have a significantly higher risk than non-smokers of developing pneumonia.Clinical relevanceNosocomial pneumonia is a considerable problem in OI patients with lengthy mechanical ventilation. Prompt and comprehensive OI care is required to reduce these risk factors.

Nosocomial pneumonia diagnosis revisited.

Nosocomial pneumonia represents a significant burden even for the most resilient healthcare systems. Timely and reliable diagnosis is critical but remains a deficient field. This review critically revises the latest literature on the diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia, including advances in imaging techniques, as well as the utility of rapid microbiological tests in establishing the etiological diagnosis. Studies on low radiation computed tomography (CT) and lung ultrasound (LUS) have shown promising results for early nosocomial pneumonia diagnosis; however, further data on their sensitivity and specificity are needed, especially for picking up subtle and nonspecific radiographic findings. Moreover, data supporting their superiority in pneumonia diagnosis is still limited. As for microbiological diagnosis, several culture-independent molecular diagnostic techniques have been developed, identifying both causative microorganisms as well as determinants of antimicrobial resistance, but more studies are needed to delineate their role in nosocomial pneumonia diagnosis. The development of nonculture dependent tests has launched a new era in microbiological nosocomial pneumonia diagnosis. These modalities along with the use of LUS and/or low radiation CT might improve the sensitivity and specificity of nosocomial pneumonia diagnosis, enhance early detection and guide the antimicrobial therapy but more studies are needed to further evaluate them and determine their role for the routine clinical practice.

Nosocomial Pneumonia: An Update on Early Diagnosis and Prevention

Nosocomial pneumonia and nosocomial tracheobronchitis present a significant problem of anesthesiology and critical care medicine. This review presents the results of our own research on the usefulness of new molecular biomarkers in the early diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia, as well as modern principles for its prevention. A promising direction for the early diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia and its complications is the study of new molecular biomarkers, in particular, Club cell protein and surfactant proteins. Effective prevention of nosocomial pneumonia should be based on a complex of modern evidence-based methods.

Risk Factors For Nosocomial Pan Drug Resistant Acinetobacter Baumannii Infections

Aim: Acinetobacter baumannii is an important nosocomial pathogen. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors and mortality of nosocomial infections caused by pan drug resistant (PDR) Acinetobacter baumannii and to characterize their effects on mortality.Patients and Methods: This study was performed at the Afyonkarahisar Helath Science University, Faculty of Medicine. Nosocomial infections were defined accor-ding to the American Center for Disease Control (CDC). Patients with nosocomial infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii were included in the study. Patients identified as PDR Acinetobacter baumannii and non-PDR Acinetobacter baumannii infection were com-pared in terms of risk factors.Results: Two different groups were constructed, one group consisting of 145 PDR and the other of 145 non-PDR Acinetobacter baumannii cases. Stay history in an internal intensive care unit (p=0.001), their duration of hospital stay (p=0.031), renal disease (p=0.003), mechanical ventilation (p=0.001), prior usage history of carbap-enem (p=0.001), presence of nosocomial pneumonia (p=0.001), were independent risk factors associated with PDR Acinetobacter baumannii infections. The mortality rate for the PDR group was 61.8% and it was 38.2% in the non-PDR group (p=0.008).Conclusion: PDR Acinetobacter baumannii infections are important nosocomial in-fections with a high mortality rate. Patients’ carbapenem usage, stay history in an internal intensive care unit, renal comorbid diseases, and a diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia are important risk factors for PDR Acinetobacter baumannii infections. In nosocomial infections caused by PDR Acinetobacter baumannii, many risk factors were modifiable.

Predictors of Treatment Failure Following De-escalation to a Fluoroquinolone in Culture-Negative Nosocomial Pneumonia.

Background: Little evidence exists for de-escalation of nosocomial pneumonia therapy without positive cultures. Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify potential predictors of treatment failure following de-escalation to a fluoroquinolone in culture-negative nosocomial pneumonia. Methods: The study involved a single-center, retrospective cohort of patients admitted with diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia and positive chest radiography who received at least 24 hours of fluoroquinolone monotherapy following at least 24 hours of appropriate empirical antibiotics. Treatment failure was defined using a composite of all-cause death within 30 days of discharge, treatment re-escalation, or readmission for pneumonia within 30 days of discharge. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze predictors of treatment failure. Duration of empirical antibiotics and significant univariable exploratory predictors were included in multivariable analysis. Results: Of 164 patients, 23 (14%) failed de-escalation. Duration of empirical antibiotics (68.5 ± 32.1 vs 65.8 ± 35 hours) was not associated with treatment failure in univariable (Hazard Ratio [HR] = 1.002 [95% CI = 0.991-1.013]) or multivariable analyses (HR = 1.003 [95% CI = 0.991-1.015]). Significant exploratory predictors on univariable analysis included active cancer, intensive care unit (ICU) admission at empirical initiation, APACHE II score, and steroid use ≥20-mg prednisone equivalent. ICU admission at empirical initiation (HR = 2.439 [95% CI = 1.048-5.676]) and steroid use ≥20-mg prednisone equivalent (HR = 2.946 [95% CI = 1.281-6.772]) were associated with treatment failure on multivariable analysis. Conclusion and Relevance: Duration of empirical antibiotics does not appear to influence failure of de-escalation to fluoroquinolone monotherapy in culture-negative nosocomial pneumonia.

Nosocomial pneumonia — principles of early diagnosis and prevention

Nosocomial pneumonia and nosocomial tracheobronchitis present an urgent problem of anesthesiology and critical care medicine. This review presents the results of our own research on the informativity of new molecular biomarkers in the early diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia, as well as modern principles for the prevention of nosocomial pneumonia. A promising direction for the early diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia and its complications is the study of new molecular biomarkers, in particular, Clara cell protein and surfactant proteins. Effective prevention of nosocomial pneumonia should be based on a complex of modern evidence-based methods.

СКЛАДНОЩІ КОМПЛЕКСНОЇ КЛІНІЧНОЇ ДІАГНОСТИКИ ГОСПІТАЛЬНОЇ ПНЕВМОНІЇ НА ТЛІ ЧЕРЕПНО-МОЗКОВОЇ ТРАВМИ

Госпітальна пневмонія (ГП) утримує одну з лідируючих позицій у структурі внутрішньолікарняної захворюваності та смертності. ГП є одним із найнебезпечніших інфекційних ускладнень тяжкої черепно-мозкової травми (ЧМТ). Клінічна діагностика пневмонії при травмі досі залишається складним завданням, яке продовжують вирішувати.Мета дослідження – з’ясувати особливості клініко-лабораторної діагностики ГП, що розвинулася на тлі тяжкої ЧМТ.Матеріали і методи. Усього обстежено 166 хворих, в т. ч. 58 хворих з ізольованою тяжкою ЧМТ (перша група) і 108 пацієнтів із ЧМТ, перебіг якої ускладнився розвитком ГП (друга група). У всіх хворих другої групи ГП було підтверджено наявністю інфільтратів на рентгенограмі органів грудної клітки (РГ ОГК). Діагноз ГП встановлювали згідно з міжнародними рекомендаціями та чинним Українським протоколом діагностики та лікування пульмонологічних захворювань у дорослих (наказ МОЗ України №128 від 19.03.2007 р.). В обох групах ураховували скарги, фізикальне обстеження хворих та лабораторні дослідження, загальноприйняті в діагностиці ГП.Результати досліджень та їх обговорення. Отримано такі показники. Середній бал за шкалою коми Глазго (ШКГ) у першій групі склав (12,0±3,0) бала, в другій – (10,3±3,3) бала. Середня тривалість штучної вентиляції легень (ШВЛ) у першій групі була (4,2±2,7) доби, а в другій – (9,7±6,8) доби.Середня частота серцевих скорочень (ЧСС) виявилася в першій групі (77,9±10,3) та (95,0±11,3) другій групах. Середній показник температури тіла був(37,1±0,5) у першій та (38,7±0,8) – у другій групах. В першій групі показник швидкість осідання еритроцитів (ШОЕ) був (8,8±4,9) мм/год, лейкоцити – 8,0х109±3,3, лейкоцитарний індекс інтоксикації (ЛІІ) (2,0±0,8) од. У другій групі показник ШОЕ був(30,6±13,4) мм/год, лейкоцити – 20,4х109±6,6, ЛІІ (5,9±3,4) од.Висновки. Загальноприйняті клінічні та лабораторні методи діагностики госпітальної пневмонії мають різний (часто низький) рівень чутливості й специфічності, внаслідок чого жоден, окремо взятий критерій, не може бути золотим стандартом діагностики ГП. Беручи до уваги клінічну значимість ГП і високий ризик її розвитку в пацієнтів із ЧМТ, на сьогодні актуальним є питання дослідження нових методів діагностики ГП з урахуванням найбільш чутливих показників та їх комплексного застосування.

CHANGES OF INTERLEUKINS IN PATIENTS WITH NOSOCOMIAL PNEUMONIA AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY: ROLE IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND MONITORING OF DISEASE

Introduction. Nosocomial pneumonia (NP) is the second leading frequency and mortality among nosocomial infections. NP is a frequent complication of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). The difficulty in diagnosis and monitoring of disease NP on the background of TBI is that the usual signs NP "masked" manifestations of the underlying disease. The aim of our study was to improve the diagnosis and assess the effectiveness of the treatment of nosocomial pneumonia with clarithromycin by studying of serum interleukins in patients with nosocomial pneumonia on the background of traumatic brain injury. Materials and methods. We determined levels of TNFα, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10. We examined 45 patients with isolated TBI, 44 patients with NP (standard treatment scheme), 49 patients with NP, each therapy with clarithromycin. The control group was 33 relatively healthy people. Conclusions. The study revealed a significant increase in the concentration of interleukin TNFα, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 in the serum of patients with NP on the background of TBI compared with patients with isolated TBI and healthy individuals. Our study found significantly lower concentrations of interleukin TNFα, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 in the serum of patients after treatment with the addition of clarithromycin compared with patients with standard therapy.

Efficacy of Blind Tracheal Aspirate in Comparison to Bronchoalveolar Lavage for Microbiological Diagnosis of Nosocomial Pneumonia in Patients on Ventilator

Background and Objectives: For diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia in patients on ventilator, invasive procedure like bronchoscopy for microscopy and quantitative cultures of lower respiratory tract samples is useful but not always possible for potential risk of the procedure and the associated cost. The non-bronchoscopic sampling of the lower airways and quantitative cultures of tracheal aspirate may offer simple and readily available alternative to bronchoscopy with promising results. This study was done to evaluate the efficacy of blind tracheal aspirate in the microbiological diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia occurring in intubated patients on mechanical ventilator.
 Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in the Intensive Care Unit in the Department of Critical Care Medicine, BIRDEM Hospital, Dhaka over a period 16 months starting from January 2010 to April 2011. A total of 54 clinically diagnosed cases of nosocomial (hospital acquired) pneumonia who were on ventilator were consecutively included in the study based on predefined enrolment criteria. All the 54 cases were subjected to blind endotracheal aspirate (BTA) followed by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) for quantitative cultures of specimens and isolation of causative microorganisms from them.
 Result: The present study showed that the mean age of the patients was 61 years (range: 24-86 years). Males were predominant in the series with male to female ratio being 7:3. Majority of the patients was haemodynamically stable as indicated by mean blood pressures, heart rate, temperature and respiratory rate. Most (83.3%) of the cases showed significant growth of microbes on culture of blind tracheal aspirates at cut-off value of 105 colony forming unit/ml (cfu/ml), while 87% of the cases exhibited positive growth on culture of bronchoalveolar lavage at cut-off value of 104 cfu/ml. Acinetobacter baumannii was the predominant organism isolated from BTA (73.3%) followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (33.3%). An almost similar pattern of growth was evident in BAL with more than 70% being Acinetobacter baumannii and about 30% Pseudomonas aeruginosa. C. albicans. Kiebsiella sp., E. coli, and Flavobacter were less commonly observed in either group. The Kappa test revealed a good agreement (70.7%) between the two procedures suggesting that the two diagnostic modalities are almost comparable in diagnosing pneumonia in patients admitted in ICU (p < 0.001).
 Conclusion: The study concluded that the accuracy of blind tracheal aspirate and bronchalveolar lavage in the diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia was fairly comparable. The strength of agreement between the two diagnostic modalities is also good encouraging its use instead of more invasive procedures like BAL in the diagnosis of hospital-acquired pneumonia who are on mechanical ventilator.
 Ibrahim Cardiac Med J 2014; 4(2): 49-55

Case fatality rate related to nosocomial and ventilator-associated pneumonia in an ICU: a single-centre retrospective cohort study.

Nosocomial pneumonia (NP) and ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) have been associated with financially significant economic burden and increased case fatality rate in adult intensive care units (ICUs). This study was designed to evaluate case fatality rate among patients with NP and VAP in a respiratory ICU. In 2008-2013, VAP and NP in the ICUs were included in this retrospective single-centre cohort study. Data on demographics, co-morbidities, severity of illness, mechanical ventilation, empirical treatment, length of hospital stay and laboratory findings were recorded in each group, as were case fatality rate during ICU admission and after discharge including short-term (28-day) and long-term (a year) case fatality rate. A total of 108 patients with VAP (n = 64, median (IQR) age: 70 (61-75) years, 67.2% were men) or NP (n = 44, median (IQR) age: 68 (62-74) years, 68.2% were men) were found. Appropriate empirical antibiotic therapy was identified only in 45.2 and 42.9% of patients with VAP and NP, respectively. Overall case fatality rate in VAP and NP (81.3 vs 84.1), ICU case fatality rate (42.2 vs 45.5%), short-term case fatality rate (15.6 vs 27.3%) and long-term case fatality rate (23.4 vs 11.4%) were similar between VAP and NP groups along with occurrence 50% of case fatality rate cases in the first 2 months and 90% within the first year of discharge. Multivariate analysis showed that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (HR: 3.15, 95% CI: 1.06-9.38; p = 0.039) and presence of septic shock (HR: 3.83, 95% CI: 1.26-11.60; p = 0.018) were independently associated with lower survival. In conclusion, our findings in a retrospective cohort of respiratory ICU patients with VAP or NP revealed high ICU, short- and long-term case fatality rates within 1 year of diagnosis, regardless of the diagnosis of NP after 48 h of initial admission or after induction of ventilator support. COPD and presence of septic shock are associated with high fatality rate and our findings speculate that as increasing compliance with infection control programs and close monitoring especially in 2 months of discharge might reduce high-case fatality rate in patients with VAP and NP.

Efficiency of the lausanne clinical pathway for proximal femoral fractures.

Purpose/Introduction: The number of hip fractures is rising, due to increases in life expectancy. In such cases, patients are at risk from post-operative complications and subsequently the average length of hospitalization may be extended. In 2011, we established a clinical pathway (CP), a specific model of care for patient-care management, to improve the clinical and economic outcomes of proximal femoral fracture management in elderly patients. The goal was to evaluate the CP using clinical, process, and financial indicators.Methods: We included all surgical patients aged 65 and over, admitted to the emergency department with a fracture of the proximal femur following a fall. Assessment parameters included three performance indicators: clinical, process, and financial. The clinical indicators were the presence or absence of acute delirium on the third post-operative day, diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia, and the number of patients fulfilling at least 75% of their nutritional requirements at the end of the hospitalization period. The process indicator was the time interval between arrival at the emergency department and surgery. The financial indicator was based on the number of days spent in hospital.Results: From 2011 to 2013, 669 patients were included in the CP. We observed that the average length of stay in hospital decreased as soon as the CP was implemented and stabilized afterwards. The goal of 90% of patients undergoing surgery within 48 h of arrival in the emergency department was surpassed in 2013 (93.1%). Furthermore, we observed an improvement in the clinical indicators.Conclusion: The application of a CP allowed an improvement in the qualitative and quantitative efficiency of proximal femoral fracture management in elderly patients, in terms of clinical, process, and financial factors.

Clara Cell Protein (Club Cell Protein) is a New Diagnostic Molecular Candidate Biomarker in Nosocomial Pneumonia

Nosocomial pneumonia (NP) remains a relevant problem of resuscitation. Molecular biomarkers are significant promises for diagnosing NP. Objective: to estimate the informative value of the plasma levels of Clara cell protein (Club Cell Protein, CCP) as a diagnostic molecular candidate biomarker in NP. Subjects and methods. The investigation was conducted at the Research Institute of General Reanimatology (RIGR), Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (RAMS), in 2010—2013. It included 85 patients in accordance with the criteria of inclusion and exclusion and 30 donors. Acute respiratory distress syndrome and its stages were diagnosed using the criteria of RIGR, RAMS. Plasma Clara cell protein (CCP) levels were measured by the enzyme immunoassay Human Clara Cell Protein ELISA, RD191022200, BioVendor, USA. The findings were statistically analyzed using the package Statistica 7.0. ROC curve analysis was made to determine the sensitivity and specificity of CCP. The difference at p<0.05 was considered significant. Results. On days 1, 3, 5, and 7 of the investigation, the plasma CCP levels in patients with NP were lower than in those without this disease. Within all these days, the plasma CCP concentrations in patients with and without NP were higher than in healthy donors. On days 1 and 3, the plasma content of CCP was much lower in patients in whom NP had been caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (in association with other pathogens) than in those with NP uncaused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Within the first 24 hours, the CCP level of 17.5 ng/ml had 86.5% sensitivity and 66.7% specificity in diagnosing Pseudomonas aeruginosainduced NP (area undercurve, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.630—0.829; p=0.0001). The prognostic value of the positive and negative results of this test was 81.8 and 74.1%, respectively. Conclusion. The time course of changes in the plasma levels of Clara cell protein was studied in the patients with nosocomial pneumonia. Clara cell protein was shown to be of informative value in the diag nosis of Pseudomonas aeruginosainduced NP; on the day when nosocomial pneumonia was diagnosed, the plasma CCP level of 17.5 ng/ml had 86.5% sensitivity and 66.7% specificity in diagnosing Pseudomonas aeruginosainduced NP.

Influence of Periodontitis in the Development of Nosocomial Pneumonia: A Case Control Study

Although a number of studies on the role of periodontitis in the development of nosocomial pneumonia (NP) have been published, the debate surrounding the existence and nature of this association continues. The present study investigates the influence of periodontitis in NP. This case-control study involved 315 individuals: 85 cases (with NP) and 230 controls (without NP), at a general hospital in Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil. Sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions, and lifestyle habits were recorded. A full-mouth periodontal examination was performed and periodontal condition assessed. The diagnosis of NP was made in accordance with established medical criteria, after physical, microbiologic, and/or radiographic examination. Logistic regression was used to calculate the strength of the association between periodontitis and NP. Individuals with periodontitis were three times as likely to present with NP (unadjusted odds ratio [OR unadjusted] = 3.06, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.82 to 5.15) as those without periodontal disease. After adjusting for age, time between hospitalization and data collection, last visit to dentist, smoking habit, and present occupation, the association measurement had a slight decrease (OR adjusted = 2.88, 95% CI: 1.59 to 5.19), but the results continued to be statistically significant. These findings suggest that periodontal infection may influence the development of NP, highlighting that periodontitis is a factor positively associated with this respiratory tract infection.

Club Cell protein: a candidate diagnostic biomarker of Pseudomonas aeruginosa nosocomial pneumonia

Early etiological diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia (NP) determines prompt targeted treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Club Cell protein (CCP) as a candidate diagnostic biomarker of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) NP.

Adult Patients With Nosocomial Pneumonia

Nosocomial pneumonia is among the most common types of infection in hospitalized patients. The increasing prevalence of multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs) in recent years points to the need for an up-to-date clinical guideline. An interdisciplinary S3 guideline was created on the basis of a systematic literature review in the PubMed and Cochrane Library databases, with assessment and grading of the evidence according to the GRADE system. 9097 abstracts and 808 articles were screened in full text, and 22 recommendations were issued. It is recommended that any antimicrobial treatment should be preceded by a microbiological diagnostic evaluation with cultures of blood and respiratory samples. The diagnosis of nosocomial pneumonia should be suspected in any patient with a new or worsened pulmonary infiltrate who meets any two of the following three criteria: leucocyte count above 10,000 or below 4000/µL, temperature above 38.3°C, and/or the presence of purulent respiratory secretions. The initially calculated antimicrobial treatment should be begun without delay; it should be oriented to the locally prevailing resistance pattern, and its intensity should be a function of the risk of infection with MDROs. The initial treatment should be combination therapy if there is a high risk of MDRO infection and/or if the patient is in septic shock. In the new guideline, emphasis is laid on a strict de-escalation concept. In particular, antimicrobial treatment usually should not be continued for longer than eight days. The new guideline's recommendations are intended to encourage rational use of antibiotics, so that antimicrobial treatment will be highly effective while the unnecessary selection of multi-drug-resistant organisms will be avoided.

Recognition and prevention of nosocomial pneumonia in the intensive care unit and infection control in mechanical ventilation

Nosocomial pneumonia (NP) is a difficult diagnosis to establish in the critically ill patient due to the presence of underlying cardiopulmonary disorders (e.g., pulmonary contusion, acute respiratory distress syndrome, atelectasis) and the nonspecific radiographic and clinical signs associated with this infection. Additionally, the classification of NP in the intensive care unit setting has become increasingly complex, as the types of patients who develop NP become more diverse. The occurrence of NP is especially problematic as it is associated with a greater risk of hospital mortality, longer lengths of stay on mechanical ventilation and in the intensive care unit, a greater need for tracheostomy, and significantly increased medical care costs. The adverse effects of NP on healthcare outcomes has increased pressure on clinicians and healthcare systems to prevent this infection, as well as other nosocomial infections that complicate the hospital course of patients with respiratory failure. This manuscript will provide a brief overview of the current approaches for the diagnosis of NP and focus on strategies for prevention. Finally, we will provide some guidance on how standardized or protocolized care of mechanically ventilated patients can reduce the occurrence of and morbidity associated with complications like NP.