Stress ulcer prophylaxis for critically ill children: routine use needs to be re-examined

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.