Ventilator-associated Pneumonia In Children Research Articles

Prevalence of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Children Admitted to Pediatric ‎Intensive Care Units in the Middle East: A Systematic Review.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a common healthcare-associated disease in intensive care units, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. This systematic review aims to investigate the prevalence, risk factors, and prevention strategies for VAP in the Middle East. PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Google Scholar were systematically searched to include the relevant literature. Rayyan QCRI was used throughout this systematic approach. Ten studies, involving a total of 6295 patients diagnosed with VAP, were included in this review. Among these patients, 336 (5.3%) developed VAP. The prevalence of VAP in children and neonates in the Middle East was relatively low. Risk factors associated with VAP development included prematurity, low birth weight, prolonged mechanical ventilation, enteral feeding, intrusive devices such as umbilical catheters, and cardiac operations. All reviewed studies emphasized the importance of infection control measures in reducing the risk of VAP.

Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Paediatric Intensive Care Unit Patients: Microbiological Profile, Risk Factors, and Outcome.

Introduction Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is one of the dreaded events in sick children who are ventilated in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and has a high mortality rate. So, there is a need to know the causative organisms, risk factors, and possible predictors in a particular PICU for prevention, early identification, and treatment to decrease morbidity and mortality. This study was planned with the objectives to determine the microbiological profile, associated risk factors, and outcome of VAP in children. Methods In this observational cross-sectional study conducted at Dr.B C Roy Post Graduate Instituteof Paediatric Science, Kolkata, India, 37 VAP cases were diagnosed using clinical pulmonary infection score >6 and confirmed by tracheal culture and X-ray. Results The number of paediatric patients suffering from VAP was 37 (36.2%).The commonest age group involvement was one to five years. The microbiological profile included Pseudomonas aeruginosa (29.8%) and Klebsiellapneumoniae (21.6%) as the commonest organisms followed by Staphylococcus aureus (18.9%) and Acinetobacter (13.5%). The factors significantly associated with the increased frequency of VAP were the use of steroids, sedation, and reintubation. The mean duration of mechanical ventilation (MV) in VAP was 15 days compared to non-VAP (seven days), and the longer duration of ventilation was significantly associated with VAP (p=0.00001). Mortality in VAP was 48.54% compared to non-VAP (55.84%) with no significant association (p=0.0843) of VAP with death occurrence. Conclusion The present study showed that VAP occurrence isassociated with prolonged duration of MV, PICU stay, and hospital stay but is not significantly associated with mortality. It also indicated that gram-negative bacteria were the most common VAP causative organisms in this cohort.

Evaluation PCR panel of the FilmArray® pneumonia plus for pathogen detection of ventilator-associated pneumonia in children and its impact on therapeutic management.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the second most common nosocomial infection in pediatric intensive care units. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of multiplex PCR in the diagnosis of VAP and its impact on the clinical and prognostic outcome of children in the ICU. This is a prospective observational study from March to November 2021, including bronchial samples collected from 38 intubated children hospitalized in ICU. The detection of respiratory pathogens was performed by the FilmArray® Pneumonia Panel plus (FAPP). Multiplex PCR (mPCR) detected exclusively 46 potentially pathogenic bacteria, giving a sensitivity of 93%, specificity of 90%, negative predictive value of 100%, and positive predictive value of 23%. Overall, the sensitivity of mPCR was higher for Gram-negative bacteria (100%) than Gram-positive (92%). Bacterial etiology was the most frequent (69.3%), represented mainly by Moraxella catarrhalis (11.4%), followed by viral etiology (30.7%), with Rhinovirus/Enterovirus as the most prevalent virus. FAPP enabled a change in antibiotic therapy in 39.5% of the patients, with a 73.3% survival rate. This study highlights the importance of mPCR in diagnosing VAP and improving antimicrobial therapy.

Early-Onset Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Pediatric Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

Early-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is associated with poor outcomes in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). The primary aim of this study was to describe VAP, including the microbiology of VAP and differences in frequency of VAP when various definitions are applied. The secondary aim was to determine the clinical variables associated with the development of VAP in children with severe TBI. This is a retrospective cohort study at a quaternary referral children's hospital with a level I trauma center designation. Inclusion criteria were patients aged 0-18years admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit between 2015 and 2020 with severe TBI requiring at least 2days of invasive ventilation. VAP was defined by using Center of Disease Control (CDC) definition or clinical VAP, based on physician diagnosis. We compared general demographics, reviewed trauma and injury data, and outcomes to assess any differences between patients with VAP and non-VAP patients. Associations were tested with regression models. After applying all inclusion and exclusion criteria, 90 patients were included in the analysis. Patients with VAP were older (8.5 vs. 5.6years, P = 0.03). Patients with VAP were less likely to have suffered from abusive head trauma (P = 0.01). Patients who received continuous neuromuscular blockade or targeted temperature management did not have different frequencies of VAP. CDC-defined VAP was diagnosed in 27% of patients. Number of patients with VAP increased to 41% for physician-diagnosed or clinical VAP. Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus was the most common isolate grown, followed by Hemophilus influenza, with most VAP occurring on days 2-5 of intubation. VAP was not associated with mortality but was associated with worse functional status scale in patients who survived to discharge (8 vs. 7.5, P = 0.048). Over a cumulative period of days, nebulized 3% and albuterol were associated with decreased incidence of VAP. Ventilator-associated pneumonia occurs commonly in children with severe TBI, with rates of 27-41%, depending on CDC-defined VAP or clinical VAP. The discrepancy between clinical VAP and CDC-defined VAP further illustrates the need for a standardized definition for VAP. Although most interventions were not associated with VAP, nebulized 3% saline and albuterol were associated with reduced incidence of VAP; future investigation is needed to determine whether mucolytic agents can decrease the rate of VAP in children with severe TBI.

Targeted temperature management at 36°C is a risk factor for ventilator-associated pneumonia.

In contrast to the adult population, limited information is currently available on risk factors for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in children. Therapeutic hypothermia has been identified as a risk factor for the early onset of VAP in adults; however, the relationship between VAP and normothermia remains unclear. The present study investigated risk factors for VAP in children, with a focus on the deleterious effects of therapeutic normothermia on VAP. We retrospectively investigated the clinical characteristics of children treated with mechanical ventilation for more than 48 h and analyzed risk factors for VAP. The endpoint was the onset of VAP by the seventh day after the initiation of mechanical ventilation. Among the 288 patients enrolled, seven (2.4%) developed VAP. No significant differences were observed in clinical backgrounds between the VAP and non-VAP groups. A univariate analysis identified target temperature management (TTM) at 36°C (p < 0.0001) and methylprednisolone (mPSL) pulse therapy (p = 0.02) as risk factors for VAP. An analysis of the time to the onset of VAP by the Kaplan-Meier plot and log-rank test revealed a significantly higher incidence of VAP in the TTM group (p < 0.0001) and mPSL pulse group (p = 0.001). TTM at 36°C and mPSL pulse therapy may be risk factors for VAP in the pediatric population.

Probiotic prophylaxis to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia in children on mechanical ventilation: A randomized double-blind clinical trial.

Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP) is one of the most common nosocomial infections in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Using new strategies to prevent nosocomial infections is crucial to avoid antibiotic resistance. One of these strategies is the utilization of probiotics. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of probiotic prophylaxis in preventing VAP in mechanically ventilated children. This study was a randomized, double-blind clinical trial. The study included 72 children under 12 years of age under mechanical ventilation for more than 48 h in the Mofid Children's Hospital. Patients were randomly divided into Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 probiotic recipients (n = 38) and placebo groups (n = 34). In addition to the standard treatment, both groups received a sachet containing probiotics or a placebo twice a day. Children were screened for VAP based on clinical and laboratory evidence. The mean age of children in the intervention and placebo groups was 4.60 ± 4.84 and 3.38 ± 3.49 years, respectively. After adjusting the other variables, it was observed that chance of VAP among probiotics compared to the placebo group was significantly decreased (OR adjusted = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.09-0.95). Also, probiotic was associated with a significantly lower chance of diarrhea than the placebo group (OR adjusted = 0.09; 95% CI: 0.01-0.96). Probiotic utilization is effective in preventing the incidence of VAP and diarrhea in children under mechanical ventilation in the PICU.

RISK score for developing ventilator‐associated pneumonia in children: The RISVAP study

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the second most common healthcare-associated infection in children. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors for VAP in children and to create a risk score for developing VAP (RISVAP score). It was a prospective observational study, including children who required mechanical ventilation (MV), registered in the multicentre ENVIN-HELICS database from 2014 to 2019.The regression coefficients of each independent risk factor for VAP were used to create the RISVAP score. Each factor scored 0 if it was absent, or, if it was present, an assigned value from 1 to 7, according to the regression coefficient. A total of 3798 patients were included, 97(2.5%) developing VAP. The independent risk factors for VAP were: female (odds ratio[OR]: 1.642, p = 0.024), MV > 4 days (OR: 26.79, p < 0.001), length in pediatric intensive care unit > 7 days (OR: 11.74, p < 0.001), and previous colonisation (OR: 4.18, p < 0.001).The RISVAP was calculated for each patient as the sum of all the independent risk factors. Three risk groups were obtained: low (0-5 points), intermediate (6-12 points), and high risk for VAP (13-16 points). The area under the curve for the final score was 0.905 (95%confidence interval:0.888-0.923, p < 0.001). The RISVAP is the first risk score for VAP in pediatric populations. Using this predictive score, might be helpful to detect vulnerable patients and therefore implement preventative strategies.

The Bacteriological and Clinical Outcomes of Ventilator-associated Pneumonia Post-cardiac Surgery in the Pediatric Surgical Intensive Care Unit

Abstract Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a serious nosocomial infection that threatens pediatric patients who have undergone cardiac surgery. The aim of this study is to analyze the bacteriological profile and antibiotic resistance pattern of the organisms grown from pediatric patients diagnosed as VAP after cardiac surgery and also to study the bacteriological and clinical outcomes of the patients. Patients and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching institution in children aged younger than 14 years who had undergone cardiac surgery and were diagnosed to have VAP and on mechanical ventilation (MV). The clinical and the bacteriological profile of patients with VAP, the systemic antibiotics used, the resistance pattern to the antibiotics, and, finally, the bacteriological and clinical outcomes were analyzed. Results: Among the 98 patients with VAP, 55% were early onset (&lt;4 days of MV) and 45% were late onset (&gt;4 days of MV) VAP. Among the most common pathogens causing VAP, Klebsiella and Escherichia coli contributed to 18% each of the total VAP. Twenty percent of VAP were polymicrobial in origin. About 63% of organisms were resistant to Augmentin, and 11% of the organisms were multidrug resistant (MDR). Conclusion: This study not only showed the pattern of early and late onset VAP but also revealed the bacteriological profile and the resistance pattern of the local microbial flora causing VAP, guiding us in a more efficient management of VAP in children.

Risk Factors and Nursing Countermeasures of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Children in the Intensive Care Unit.

Objective This study discussed and analyzed the risk factors and nursing countermeasures of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in the children intensive care unit (ICU). Methods In this study, 155 children with mechanical ventilation in the pediatric intensive care unit from Oct. 2018 to Oct. 2020 were chosen as research objects. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of children and divided them into VAP groups and non-VAP groups according to the occurrence of VAP. Subsequently, we adopted a univariate and multivariate logistic regression model to analyze and clarify the risk factors of VAP and formulated the corresponding nursing countermeasures. Results 49 cases of total research objects had occurred VAP, with an infection rate of 31.62%. The primary pathogenic bacteria were Gram-negative bacteria (43/70, 61.43%). According to multivariate logistic regression analysis, the duration of mechanical ventilation, invasive procedures, and application of hormones and antacids are all independent risk factors for VAP in pediatric ICU. The VPA group had longer hospital stay than the non-VAP group, and the difference was statistically significant ((20.92 ± 4.16)d, (15.24 ± 3.77)d, t = 8.4383, P ≤ 0.001). The hospitalization cost of the VPA group was substantially higher than that of the non-VAP Group ((45.8 ± 10.4) thousand Yuan, (33.2 ± 4.3) thousand Yuan, t = 10.6822, P ≤ 0.001). Conclusion Children admitted to the pediatric ICU have a high VAP incidence. The primary pathogenic bacteria are Gram-negative bacteria. As the occurrence of VAP is closely related to a variety of factors, we should take targeted nursing countermeasures to reduce the duration of mechanical ventilation and the frequency of invasive operations and use the hormone and antacids rationally to reduce the risk of VAP and improve the prognosis.

Outcome of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Children Post Cardiac Surgery: A Prospective Observational Study

Abstract Background Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a serious complication in post congenital cardiac repair in children leading to high morbidity and mortality. We conducted this study with an aim to determine incidence, risk factors, and mortality of VAP in pediatric cardiac surgical patients. Methodology This prospective observational study included 371 children aged less than 12 years who underwent elective cardiac surgery for congenital heart disease from March 2020 to September 2021. Patients were categorized into two groups: those with VAP and without VAP. Results Out of 371 patients, 67 patients (18%) developed VAP. The VAP incidence density was 36.3 episodes per 1,000 mechanical ventilation days. Age less than 1 year (p &lt;0.001), prolonged preoperative hospital stay (odds ratio: 2.25; 95% CI:1.11–4.52; p = 0.007), and higher RACHS1 (risk adjustment in congenital heart surgery) category, prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation (p &lt;0.001), delayed sternal closure, tracheostomy, reintubation, use of uncuffed ET tube, and peritoneal dialysis were associated with higher incidence of VAP. Total 86 tracheal samples were taken. Most frequently isolated microorganisms were Acinetobacter baumannii (43%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (23%). Antibiotic resistance was alarming as Acinetobacter and Klebsiella species were highly resistant to commonly used broad spectrum antibiotics like cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, and carbapenems. Conclusion VAP incidence in our study was 18% and VAP incidence density was 36.3 per 1,000 mechanical ventilation days. Patients with VAP had higher mortality (32%) as compared with patients without VAP (12%).

Serum procalcitonin as an early inflammatory marker in pediatric ventilator-associated pneumonia

Background: Delayed diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in pediatric patients is associated with accentuated risk of morbidities and mortality. Early diagnosis of VAP is challenging. Serum procalcitonin has been proposed as a promising inflammatory marker for the early diagnosis of VAP, but there is a lack of sufficient evidence for the use of serum procalcitonin for early diagnosis of VAP in children. The present study was conducted to determine the role of serum procalcitonin as an early inflammatory marker for an early and provisional diagnosis of VAP among clinically suspected VAP patients in pediatric intensive care unit settings. Subjects and Methods: Seventy-nine pediatric patients (age: 1 month–18 years) with suspected VAP (Simplified Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score &gt;6) were prospectively evaluated with quantitative bronchoalveolar lavage cultures and simultaneously tested for serum procalcitonin levels. Two groups were identified based on culture results and comparatively evaluated for procalcitonin levels, its diagnostic efficacy, antibiotic usage patterns, and mechanical ventilation duration. Results: The VAP group had 39 patients, and the non-VAP group had 40 patients. Thirty-two (82%) patients in the VAP group had a procalcitonin value ≥10 ng/ml as against 10 (25%) from the non-VAP group. Two (5.1%) patients in the VAP group had procalcitonin levels ≤1 ng/ml as against 21 (52.5%) patients in the non-VAP group. The receiver operating characteristic area under curve for procalcitonin with a cutoff &gt;10 ng/ml was 0.785 (95% confidence interval = 0.678–0.870) with a sensitivity of 82.05% and specificity of 75%. Conclusions: Serum procalcitonin is a reliable biomarker to augment the provisional diagnosis of VAP in clinically suspected cases. Such diagnosis may help in an early institution of definitive therapy for VAP.

Mortality Rate and Causing Factors in Ventilator Associated Pneumonia in Children

Aim: To estimate the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and to identify causing microbiological organismsand VAP related mortality rate in children admitted to the ICU. Study design: This was a Cross-sectional and an observational study. Study place and duration: In the Pediatric department of Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi, for one-year duration from May 2020 to May 2021. Methodology: All admitted children to the pediatric ICU (PICU) and ventilated were selected and observed for any features suggestive of VAP. All suspected children have Partial septic signs. A VAP will be categorized ifchild remains on ventilator for more than 48 hours and when a patient had 2 of these signs of nosocomial infection - TLC &lt;4,000 or&gt; 15,000 mm3 , fever&gt; 101 ° F, CRP&gt; 48 mg / L, neutrophils&gt; 85% or a new chest X-rayexhibited pneumonia withradiological sign of progressive, persistent or new infiltrates. The chi-square test was used for comparison of percentages with a value of Less than 0.05 p. Results: Of all the cases admitted, the average length of ICU stay was 8.65 ± 6.45 per day. Children who needed VAP required 14.2 ±9.5 days of ventilation and 7.5± 5.2 days for children who have not VAP progression. Of 100 cohort of children necessitating ventilation, 22 died and 2 were left without advice or serious illness, with a total mortality of 22%. Conclusion: The VAP incidence in this study was 22%. Features related with a higher incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia include age &lt;1-year, continuous intravenous sedation and unplanned intubation in emergency situation. Features suggestive of underlying VAP encompassed, CRP&gt; 48 mg / L, purulent tracheal secretions, positive tracheal culture of aspirate and positive X-ray results. Key words: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), Nosocomial infections,PICU and Children.

Risk factors of ventilator-associated pneumonia in children in an Egyptian University Children’s Hospital

Aim To evaluate the risk factors that contribute to the development of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in children. Settings and design A prospective observational study was conducted. The study was done in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at Mansoura University Children’s Hospital, Egypt, over 1 year. The study included 154 patients. Patients and methods Many variables were analyzed such as demographic characteristics; previous hospital and PICU admission; drugs used such as inotropes, steroids, sedatives, H2 blockers, or proton pump inhibitors; nutritional therapies; chronic illnesses; invasive procedures such as central line insertion; duration of mechanical ventilation (MV); and PICU stay before development of VAP. Statistical analysis used All patients were assessed by Pediatric Risk of Mortality Score III in the first 24 h and evaluated for VAP by daily clinical examination and by radiological and laboratory evaluation. Results Duration of MV and PICU stay (before development of VAP) markedly increased the incidence of VAP (P value for both was &lt;0.001). Steroid and sedative increased the incidence of VAP significantly (P=0.001 and 0.007, respectively). Conclusions Use of steroids and sedatives, prolonged MV, and length of PICU stay are the main risk factors that contribute toward the increased risk of VAP development in Mansoura University Children’s Hospital intensive care.

Serum procalcitonin: A promising biomarker for ventilator-associated pneumonia in children

Serum procalcitonin: A promising biomarker for ventilator-associated pneumonia in children

Temporal airway microbiome changes related to ventilator-associated pneumonia in children.

We sought to determine whether temporal changes in the lower airway microbiome are associated with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in children.Using a multicentre prospective study of children aged 31 days to 18 years requiring mechanical ventilation support for >72 h, daily tracheal aspirates were collected and analysed by sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. VAP was assessed using 2008 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention paediatric criteria. The association between microbial factors and VAP was evaluated using joint longitudinal time-to-event modelling, matched case-control comparisons and unsupervised clustering.Out of 366 eligible subjects, 66 (15%) developed VAP at a median of 5 (interquartile range 3-5) days post intubation. At intubation, there was no difference in total bacterial load (TBL), but Shannon diversity and the relative abundance of Streptococcus, Lactobacillales and Prevotella were lower for VAP subjects versus non-VAP subjects. However, higher TBL on each sequential day was associated with a lower hazard (hazard ratio 0.39, 95% CI 0.23-0.64) for developing VAP, but sequential values of diversity were not associated with VAP. Similar findings were observed from the matched analysis and unsupervised clustering. The most common dominant VAP pathogens included Prevotella species (19%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14%) and Streptococcus mitis/pneumoniae (10%). Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma were also identified as dominant organisms in several subjects.In mechanically ventilated children, changes over time in microbial factors were marginally associated with VAP risk, although these changes were not suitable for predicting VAP in individual patients. These findings suggest that focusing exclusively on pathogen burden may not adequately inform VAP diagnosis.

Hospital-acquired Pneumonia and Ventilator-associated Pneumonia in Children: A Prospective Natural History and Case-Control Study.

Clinical trials for antibiotics designed to treat hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonias (HABP/VABP) are hampered by making these diagnoses in a way that is acceptable to the United States Food and Drug Administration and consistent with standards of care. We examined laboratory and clinical features that might improve pediatric HABP/VABP trial efficiency by identifying risk factors predisposing children to HABP/VABP and describing the epidemiology of pediatric HABP/VABP. We prospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of patients <18 years of age admitted to intensive and intermediate care units (ICUs) if they received qualifying respiratory support or were started on antibiotics for a lower respiratory tract infection or undifferentiated sepsis. Subjects were followed until HABP/VABP was diagnosed or they were discharged from the ICU. Clinical, laboratory and imaging data were abstracted using structured chart review. We calculated HABP/VABP incidence and used a stepwise backward selection multivariable model to identify risk factors associated with development of HABP/VABP. A total of 862 neonates, infants and children were evaluated for development of HABP/VABP; 10% (82/800) of those receiving respiratory support and 12% (103/862) overall developed HABP/VABP. Increasing age, shorter height/length, longer ICU length of stay, aspiration risk, blood product transfusion in the prior 7 days and frequent suctioning were associated with increased odds of HABP/VABP. The use of noninvasive ventilation and gastric acid suppression were both associated with decreased odds of HABP/VABP. Food and Drug Administration-defined HABP/VABP occurred in 10%-12% of pediatric patients admitted to ICUs. Risk factors vary by age group.

Application of graded airway management during mechanical ventilation in neonates with acute lung injury

Objective To explore the application of graded airway management in mechanical ventilation of neonates with acute lung injury. Methods From June 2016 to June 2018, 84 cases of children with acute lung injury admitted to the neonatology department of this hospital were selected. According to the random number table method, the children were divided into the observation group and the control group, 42 cases of each group.The control group received routine airway management and chest physical therapy every 2 hours.The observation group received airway grading management according to the airway score of children.Acute physiological and chronic health scoreⅡ (APACHEⅡ), qi and blood indexes, mechanical ventilation time, hospital stay and complications were compared between the two groups before and 5 days after treatment. Results After treatment, tidal volume (VT), respiratory rate (f), and blood gas oxygen partial pressure (PaO2)/oxygen concentration (PaO2/FiO2) were significantly improved in the observation group compared with the control group, and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05). APACHE Ⅱscore was significantly lower than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). Mechanical ventilation time and hospitalization time in observation group were shorter than those in control group, and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05). The incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia was significantly lower than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). Conclusions Airway grading management can effectively improve the respiratory function of children with mechanical ventilation in acute lung injury, reduce the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in children, and promote the recovery of children. Key words: Airway grading management; Neonatal; Acute lung injury; Mechanical ventilation; Prognosis

Profile of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia in Children Admitted to Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of a Tertiary Care Center in India

Introduction: Limited literature is available on VAP in children, particularly from India.Hence this study aims to determine the incidence, clinical, laboratory, radiological and microbiological profile, risk factors, and outcomes of ventilator-associated pneumonia in pediatric patients. Methods: This is a prospective observational study which enrolled 125 children who were mechanically ventilated in the PICU of a tertiary teaching care hospital over a period of 2 years. Demographic, clinical, radiological and laboratory details were collected and CPIS was used to diagnose VAP. Endo tracheal aspirates were obtained at 48hrs and 96 hrs of initiation of mechanical ventilation and were cultured as per standard guidelines. All the demographic, clinical, radiological and micro biological details were entered in SPSS version 17.0.Standard statistical tests were used to analyze data. Results: Among the 125 ventilated children, 44 were found to have VAP as per the CPIS showing its incidence of 35.2%. In our study incidence of early VAP is 27.6% while that of late VAP is 75%. The major risk factor for the incidence of VAP in this study was the duration of ventilation. VAP occurred in 75% of patients intubated for more than 5 days. Among 63 children who were reintubated, 34(53.9%) developed VAP while the incidence of VAP was only 16.1% among those who were not reintubated (p value- 0.016). In this study out of the microorganisms isolated in patients with early VAP, 45% were Acinetobacter species, 20% Klebsiella pneumoniae and 10% Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Whereas in late onset VAP, Acinetobacter constituted 60% of all microbes while the rest comprised of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20%) and Klebsiella pneumonia (6.6%). Conclusions: Significant risk factors in development of VAP were reintubation and duration of ventilation. The most common VAP pathogen was Acinetobacter species.Tracheostomized children have higher incidence of VAP but have higher recovery rates.

Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia and Events in Pediatric Intensive Care: A Single Center Study.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia is the second most common nosocomial infection in pediatric intensive care. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued diagnosis criteria for pediatric ventilator-associated pneumonia and for ventilator-associated events in adults. The objectives of this pediatric study were to determine the prevalence of ventilator-associated pneumonia using these new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, to describe the risk factors and management of ventilator-associated pneumonia, and to assess a simpler method to detect ventilator-associated pneumonia with ventilator-associated event in critically ill children. Retrospective, observational, single-center. PICU in a tertiary-care university hospital. Consecutive critically ill children mechanically ventilated for greater than or equal to 48 hours between November 2013 and November 2015. None. Of 304 patients mechanically ventilated for greater than or equal to 48 hours, 284 were included. Among them, 30 (10.6%) met clinical and radiologic Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for ventilator-associated pneumonia, yielding an prevalence of 7/1,000 mechanical ventilation days. Median time from mechanical ventilation onset to ventilator-associated pneumonia diagnosis was 4 days. Semiquantitative culture of tracheal aspirates was the most common microbiological technique. Gram-negative bacteria were found in 60% of patients, with a predominance of Haemophilus influenzae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antibiotic therapy complied with adult guidelines. Compared with patients without ventilator-associated pneumonia, those with ventilator-associated pneumonia had significantly longer median durations of mechanical ventilation (15 vs 6 d; p < 0.001) and PICU stay (19 vs 9 d; p < 0.001). By univariate analysis, risk factors for ventilator-associated pneumonia were younger age, reintubation, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and continuous enteral feeding. Among the 30 patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia, 17 met adult ventilator-associated event's criteria (sensitivity, 56%). Ventilator-associated pneumonia is associated with longer times on mechanical ventilation and in the PICU. Using the ventilator-associated event criteria is of interest to rapidly screen for ventilator-associated pneumonia in children. However, sensitivity must be improved by adapting these criteria to children.

Minor Diagnostic Factors in Ventilator Associated Pneumonia in Children

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is nosocomial pneumonia. Minor diagnostic criteria in children are poorly understood. Present study aimed to determine the new diagnostic factors for VAP in children admitted in the intensive care unit according to clinical, laboratory, and radiological assessments. Materials and Methods One hundred thirty pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admitted patients were selected and classified as VAP (29 patients), and non-VAP (101 patients), prospectively. Clinical parameters, laboratory and radiological findings were followed in patients with and without VAP. Results Among the patients, 60% (78 cases) were male. The median age was one month. All of the VAP patients were neonates with the average age of 10.7±25.29 months. There was no significant difference in age and gender. Duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU admission had significant difference between groups (29.31±20.5 versus 8.45±8.76, and 32.62±21.15 versus 12.88±12.16 days, respectively, p<0.001). Tachycardia was detected in 27 (93.1%), and 51(50.5%) patients in VAP and non-VAP, respectively (p<0.001). Respiratory secretion was detected in 8(27.6%) and 9(8.9%) in VAP, and non-VAP, respectively (p=0.009). Crackles was detected in 9(31%) and 15(14.9%) in VAP and non-VAP, respectively (p=0.04). Blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) culture, need to change device setting, O2 desaturation, WBC count and chest X- ray showed significant difference between groups (p<0.05). Conclusion According to the results, some clinical and laboratory factors including WBC count, blood culture, crackles and need to change settings should be considered as minor but new diagnostic criteria for VAP.