Guidelines for the management of hospital-acquired pneumonia in the UK: report of the working party on hospital-acquired pneumonia of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

Practices to prevent non-ventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia: a narrative review

Nosocomial infection has significant consequences in health care, both at the individual level due to increased morbidity and mortality, and at the organizational level due to increased costs. Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) is the most common nosocomial infection, and is associated with high excess mortality, frequent use of broad-spectrum antimicrobials and increased length of stay. This review explores the preventative strategies that have been examined in non-ventilator HAP (NV-HAP). The management of aspiration risk, interventions for oral hygiene, role of mobilization and physiotherapy, modification of environmental factors, and vaccination are discussed. Many of these interventions are low risk, acceptable to patients and have good cost-benefit ratios. However, the evidence base for prevention of NV-HAP is weak. This review identifies the lack of a unified research definition, under-recruitment to studies, and variation in intervention and outcome measures as limitations in the existing literature. Given that the core risk factors for acquisition of NV-HAP are increasing, there is an urgent need for research to address the prevention of NV-HAP. This review calls for a unified definition of NV-HAP, and identification of a core outcome set for studies in NV-HAP, and suggests future directions for research in NV-HAP. Improving care for people with NV-HAP will reduce morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs significantly.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia: pathobiological heterogeneity and diagnostic challenges

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) affects up to 20% of critically ill patients and induces significant antibiotic prescription pressure, accounting for half of all antibiotic use in the ICU. VAP significantly increases hospital length of stay and healthcare costs yet is also associated with long-term morbidity and mortality. The diagnosis of VAP continues to present challenges and pitfalls for the currently available clinical, radiological and microbiological diagnostic armamentarium. Biomarkers and artificial intelligence offer an innovative potential direction for ongoing future research. In this Review, we summarise the pathobiological heterogeneity and diagnostic challenges associated with VAP.

WHO's essential medicines and AWaRe: recommendations on first- and second-choice antibiotics for empiric treatment of clinical infections

The WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (EML) prioritizes medicines that have significant global public health value. The EML can also deliver important messages on appropriate medicine use. Since 2017, in response to the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance, antibiotics on the EML have been reviewed and categorized into three groups: Access, Watch, and Reserve, leading to a new categorization called AWaRe. These categories were developed taking into account the impact of different antibiotics and classes on antimicrobial resistance and the implications for their appropriate use. The 2023 AWaRe classification provides empirical guidance on 41 essential antibiotics for over 30 clinical infections targeting both the primary health care and hospital facility setting. A further 257 antibiotics not included on the EML have been allocated an AWaRe group for stewardship and monitoring purposes. This article describes the development of AWaRe, focussing on the clinical evidence base that guided the selection of Access, Watch, or Reserve antibiotics as first and second choices for each infection. The overarching objective was to offer a tool for optimizing the quality of global antibiotic prescribing and reduce inappropriate use by encouraging the use of Access antibiotics (or no antibiotics) where appropriate. This clinical evidence evaluation and subsequent EML recommendations are the basis for the AWaRe antibiotic book and related smartphone applications. By providing guidance on antibiotic prioritization, AWaRe aims to facilitate the revision of national lists of essential medicines, update national prescribing guidelines, and supervise antibiotic use. Adherence to AWaRe would extend the effectiveness of current antibiotics while helping countries expand access to these life-saving medicines for the benefit of current and future patients, health professionals, and the environment.

Association between nurse staffing level in intensive care settings and hospital-acquired pneumonia among surgery patients: result from the Korea National Health Insurance cohort

This study examined the association between the number of nursing staff in intensive care units (ICUs) and hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) among surgical patients in South Korea. Data were obtained between 2008 and 2019 from the Korean National Health Insurance Service Cohort Database; 37,706 surgical patients who received critical care services were included in the analysis. Patients with a history of pneumonia 1 year prior to surgery or those who had undergone lung-related surgery were excluded. The ICU nursing management fee is an admission fee that varies based on the grading determined by nurse-to-bed ratio. Using this grading system, we classified four groups from the highest to the lowest level based on the proportion of beds to nurses (high, high-mid, mid-low, and low group). HAP was defined by the International Classification of Disease, 10th revision (ICD-10) code. Multilevel logistic regression was used to investigate the relationship between the level of ICU nurse staffing and pneumonia, controlling for variables at the individual and hospital levels. Lower levels of nurse staffing were associated with a greater incidence of HAP than higher levels of nurse staffing (mid-high, OR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.12-1.57; mid-low, OR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.27-2.04; low, OR: 2.13, 95% CI: 1.67-2.71). The intraclass correlation coefficient value was 0.177, and 17.7% of the variability in HAP was accounted for by the hospital. Higher ICU nursing management fee grades (grade 5 and above) in general and hospital settings were significantly associated with an increased risk of HAP compared to grade 1 admissions. Similarly, in tertiary hospitals, grade 2 and higher ICU nursing management fees were significantly associated with an increased risk of HAP compared to grade 1 admissions. Especially, a lower level of nurse staffing was associated with bacterial pneumonia but not pneumonia due to aspiration. In conclusion, this study found an association between the level of ICU nurse staffing and HAP among surgical patients. A lower level of nurse staffing in the ICU was associated with increased rates of HAP among surgical patients. This indicates that having fewer beds assigned to nurses in the ICU setting is a significant factor in preventing HAP, regardless of the size of the hospital.

Clinical Characteristics and Prognosis of Hospital-Acquired Klebsiella pneumoniae Bacteremic Pneumonia versus Escherichia coli Bacteremic Pneumonia: A Retrospective Comparative Study

Objective

This research aimed to investigate the variations in clinical features and prognosis of HABP caused by E. coli and K. pneumoniae. We also aimed to evaluate the risk variables related to 30-day death in the investigated groups.

Methods

A single-center retrospective cohort research lasting four years was performed. A total of 117 patients with HABP were involved in this research. The primary prognosis was 30-day death.

Results

Among 117 patients with HABP, 60 patients were infected with K. pneumoniae (KP-HABP), and 57 patients were infected with E. coli (E. coli-HABP). A higher proportion of males, ICU admission, undergoing tracheotomy and trachea cannulation, carbapenem-resistant strains, inappropriate empirical therapy (IET), immune compromise, diabetes mellitus, and sepsis were observed in the patients with KP-HABP (all P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the median SOFA score and Pitt score were significantly (P < 0.001) higher in the KP-HABP group compared to the E. coli-HABP group. The 30-day death was 48.33% in the KP-HABP group and 24.56% in the E. coli-HABP group (P = 0.008). After adjusting for the main covariates, the hazard ratios for 30-day mortality in KP-HABP were 1.58 (95% CI:0.80-3.12), 3.24 (95% CI:1.48-7.06), 5.67 (95% CI:2.00-16.07), and 5.99 (95% CI:2.10-17.06), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression models revealed that IET, hypoproteinaemia, cerebral vascular disease (CVD), and SOFA score ≥ 5.0 were the independent risk variables for 30-day death in KP-HABP. Simultaneously, SOFA score ≥ 4.0 and Pitt score ≥ 2.0 were independent risk factors for 30-day mortality in E. coli-HABP.

Conclusion

The clinical features of HABP vary depending on whether it is caused by Escherichia coli or K. pneumoniae. KP-HABP patients have higher 30-day mortality than E. coli-HABP patients. To ensure greater validity, it is necessary to further verify this conclusion using a larger sample size.

Including Organ Dysfunctions in a Predictive Score for Nosocomial Pneumonia After Cardiothoracic Surgery

BACKGROUND

Clinical diagnosis of ICU-acquired pneumonia after cardiothoracic surgery is challenging. Johanson criteria (chest radiograph infiltrate, purulent tracheal secretions, fever, and leukocytosis) fail in half the cases. A high Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score (CPIS) and ≥ 2-point increase in Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score (SOFA↑ ≥ 2) may improve diagnosis. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether CPIS or SOFA↑ ≥ 2 contributes to predict ICU-acquired pneumonia in subjects after cardiothoracic surgery.

METHODS

We used a prospective observational design. Spiegelhalter-Knill-Jones scoring systems including CPIS or SOFA↑ ≥ 2, together with other clinical and laboratory variables, were developed in a derivation cohort. A positive quantitative pulmonary sample culture was required to confirm ICU-acquired pneumonia. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was computed for each of the 2 scoring systems. The best system was evaluated in a validation cohort.

RESULTS

Derivation and validation cohorts included 172 and 108 subjects, with 410 and 216 suspected ICU-acquired pneumonia episodes, respectively. AUROC was 0.53 ± 0.03 for CPIS (P = .29) and 0.54 ± 0.03 for SOFA↑ ≥ 2 (P = .29). Adding purulent tracheal secretions and leukocytosis to SOFA↑ ≥ 2 (SOFA model) increased AUROC to 0.65 ± 0.03 (P < .001). Adding catecholamine use to CPIS (CPIS model) increased AUROC only slightly, to 0.57 ± 0.03. The probabilities predicted by the SOFA model were reliable, especially when high or low.

CONCLUSIONS

A clinical scoring system including at least SOFA↑ ≥ 2 increase barely improved ICU-acquired pneumonia prediction in subjects after cardiothoracic surgery.

Clinical value of serum sTREM-1 and HBP levels in combination with traditional inflammatory markers in diagnosing hospital-acquired pneumonia in elderly

Background

The clinical presentation of hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) in older patients is often complex and non-specific, posing a diagnostic challenge. This study evaluates the value of serum soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) and heparin-binding protein (HBP) in combination with traditional inflammatory markers procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in diagnosing HAP in older patients.

Methods

Thirty-eight elderly male patients with HAP (≥ 80 years old) and 46 age-matched controls, who were hospitalized for other reasons than HAP, were enrolled. The serum sTREM-1, HBP, PCT and CRP levels were measured by ELISA on the first day after enrollment. In addition, routine blood test, blood gas, sputum analysis, clinical pulmonary infection score (CPIS) assessment, and chest X-ray were performed, and the correlations with HAP were analyzed.

Results

The serum sTREM-1 (n = 38, 170.75 ± 158.33 pg/ml), HBP (2.08 ± 0.50), PCT (9.44 ± 17.73) and CRP (79.63 ± 71.37) were all significantly higher in the HAP group, when compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the values were positively correlated with the CPIS. The ROC curve analysis revealed that the AUC for sTREM-1 (0.667) and HBP (0.711) were lower, when compared to that for PCT (AUC = 0.839) and CRP (AUC = 0.840). The combination of PCT and CRP with sTREM-1 (AUC = 0.927) or HBP (AUC = 0.930) had the highest AUC values.

Conclusion

Serum sTREM-1, HBP, PCT and CRP can all be used as diagnostic markers for HAP in the elderly. The combination of traditional inflammatory markers PCT and CRP with novel inflammatory marker sTREM-1 or HBP further improves the diagnostic performance.

Impact of Pseudomonas aeruginosa coverage on the prognosis of elderly patients with community-acquired pneumonia

BACKGROUND

Although the 2019 American Thoracic Society and Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) recommend the use of antibiotics with Pseudomonas aeruginosa coverage for patients with prior sputum isolation of P. aeruginosa, further research is needed to confirm its clinical outcomes. This study aimed to assess the impact of the use of antibiotics with P. aeruginosa coverage on mortality in elderly CAP patients with sputum isolation of P. aeruginosa.

METHODS

We retrospectively included consecutive elderly patients who were hospitalized for CAP and P. aeruginosa-positive sputum culture. The association between the use of antibiotics with P. aeruginosa coverage and 28-day mortality was assessed based on propensity score to reduce selection bias.

RESULTS

A total of 216 patients were included, and 68 (31%) of them were treated with antibiotics with P. aeruginosa coverage. The number of patients treated with antibiotics with P. aeruginosa coverage was significantly higher among nonsurvivors than among survivors. After adjustment using propensity score, the association between the use of antibiotics with P. aeruginosa coverage and the 28-day mortality was found to be statistically nonsignificant (odds ratio 2.182, 95% confidence interval 0.732-6.508, p = 0.162).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of antibiotics with P. aeruginosa coverage in elderly CAP patients with sputum isolation of P. aeruginosa did not improve their prognosis. A randomized control study is required to identify cases that should be treated with antibiotics covering P. aeruginosa.

[Update of the recommendations of the Pneumonia Zero project]

La pandemia por el SARS-Cov-2 ha impactado negativamente en la aplicación de las recomendaciones de Neumonía Zero y se ha acompañado de un incremento de las tasas de Neumonía asociada a ventilación mecánica (NAVM) en las unidades de cuidados intensivos de España. Con el objetivo de disminuir las tasas actuales a 7 episodios por 1000 días de VM, se han actualizado las recomendaciones del proyecto inicial.

Se identificaron, 27 medidas que se clasificaron en 12 medidas funcionales (posición semisentada, higiene estricta de manos, entrenamiento para manipular la vía aérea, valoración diaria de posible extubación, protocolización del destete, traqueostomía precoz, ventilación no invasiva, vigilancia microbiológica, cambio de tubuladuras, humidificación, fisioterapia respiratoria, nutrición enteral postpilórica), 7 mecánicas (control de la presión del neumotaponamiento, tubos con aspiración subglótica, nutrición con sondas de bajo calibre/en intestino delgado, aspiración de secreciones con circuitos cerrados/abiertos, filtros respiratorios, cepillado de dientes, técnicas de presión negativa en la aspiración de secreciones) y 8 farmacológicas (descontaminación selectiva digestiva, descontaminación orofaríngea, ciclo corto de antibióticos, higiene de boca con clorhexidina, antibióticos inhalados, rotación de antibióticos, probióticos, anticuerpos monoclonales).

Cada medida se analizó de forma independiente, por al menos dos miembros del grupo de trabajo, mediante una revisión sistemática de la literatura y una revisión iterativa de las recomendaciones de las sociedades científicas y/o grupos de expertos.

Para la clasificación de la calidad de la evidencia y fuerza de las recomendaciones se siguió la propuesta del grupo GRADE. Para determinar el grado de recomendación, cada medida fue puntuada por todos los miembros del grupo de trabajo en relación con su efectividad, tolerabilidad y aplicabilidad en las UCI españolas a corto plazo de tiempo. Se solicitó el apoyo de expertos externos en alguna de las medidas que se revisaron. Se seleccionaron aquellas medidas que alcanzaron la máxima puntuación.

Effectiveness of Continuous Cuff Pressure Control in Preventing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

OBJECTIVES

Microaspiration of subglottic secretions is the main pathogenic mechanism for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Adequate inflation of the endotracheal cuff is pivotal to providing an optimal seal of the extraluminal airway. However, cuff pressure substantially fluctuates due to patient or tube movements, which can induce microaspiration. Therefore, devices for continuous cuff pressure control (CCPC) have been developed in recent years. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the effectiveness of CCPC in VAP prevention.

DATA SOURCES

A systematic search of Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform was conducted up to February 2022.

STUDY SELECTION

Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs comparing the impact of CCPC versus intermittent cuff pressure control on the occurrence of VAP.

DATA EXTRACTION

Random-effects meta-analysis was used to calculate odds ratio (OR) and 95% CI for VAP incidence between groups. Secondary outcome measures included mortality and duration of mechanical ventilation (MV) and ICU stay. The certainty of the evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Eleven RCTs with 2,092 adult intubated patients were included. The use of CCPC was associated with a reduced risk of VAP (OR, 0.51). Meta-analyses of secondary endpoints showed no significant difference in mortality but significant differences in durations of MV (mean difference, -1.07 d) and ICU stay (mean difference, -3.41 d) in favor of CCPC. However, the risk of both reporting and individual study bias was considered important. The main issues were the lack of blinding, potential commercial conflicts of interest of study authors and high heterogeneity due to methodological differences between studies, differences in devices used for CCPC and in applied baseline preventive measures. Certainty of the evidence was considered "very low."

CONCLUSIONS

The use of CCPC was associated with a reduction in VAP incidence; however, this was based on very low certainty of evidence due to concerns related to risk of bias and inconsistency.

Host Defence Peptides: A Potent Alternative to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic

One of the greatest challenges facing the medical community today is the ever-increasing trajectory of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is being compounded by the decrease in our antimicrobial armamentarium. From their initial discovery to the current day, antibiotics have seen an exponential increase in their usage, from medical to agricultural use. Benefits aside, this has led to an exponential increase in AMR, with the fear that over 10 million lives are predicted to be lost by 2050, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). As such, medical researchers are turning their focus to discovering novel alternatives to antimicrobials, one being Host Defence Peptides (HDPs). These small cationic peptides have shown great efficacy in being used as an antimicrobial therapy for currently resistant microbial variants. With the sudden emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 variant and the subsequent global pandemic, the great versatility and potential use of HDPs as an alternative to conventional antibiotics in treating as well as preventing the spread of COVID-19 has been reviewed. Thus, to allow the reader to have a full understanding of the multifaceted therapeutic use of HDPs, this literature review shall cover the association between COVID-19 and AMR whilst discussing and evaluating the use of HDPs as an answer to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

New Antibiotics for Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia and Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) represent one of the most common hospital-acquired infections, carrying a significant morbidity and risk of mortality. Increasing antibiotic resistance among the common bacterial pathogens associated with HAP and VAP, especially Enterobacterales and nonfermenting gram-negative bacteria, has made the choice of empiric treatment of these infections increasingly challenging. Moreover, failure of initial empiric therapy to cover the causative agents associated with HAP and VAP has been associated with worse clinical outcomes. This review provides an overview of antibiotics newly approved or in development for the treatment of HAP and VAP. The approved antibiotics include ceftobiprole, ceftolozane-tazobactam, ceftazidime-avibactam, meropenem-vaborbactam, imipenem-relebactam, and cefiderocol. Their major advantages include their high activity against multidrug-resistant gram-negative pathogens.

Multicentre evaluation of two multiplex PCR platforms for the rapid microbiological investigation of nosocomial pneumonia in UK ICUs: the INHALE WP1 study

BACKGROUND

Culture-based microbiological investigation of hospital-acquired or ventilator-associated pneumonia (HAP or VAP) is insensitive, with aetiological agents often unidentified. This can lead to excess antimicrobial treatment of patients with susceptible pathogens, while those with resistant bacteria are treated inadequately for prolonged periods. Using PCR to seek pathogens and their resistance genes directly from clinical samples may improve therapy and stewardship.

METHODS

Surplus routine lower respiratory tract samples were collected from intensive care unit patients about to receive new or changed antibiotics for hospital-onset lower respiratory tract infections at 15 UK hospitals. Testing was performed using the BioFire FilmArray Pneumonia Panel (bioMérieux) and Unyvero Pneumonia Panel (Curetis). Concordance analysis compared machine and routine microbiology results, while Bayesian latent class (BLC) analysis estimated the sensitivity and specificity of each test, incorporating information from both PCR panels and routine microbiology.

FINDINGS

In 652 eligible samples; PCR identified pathogens in considerably more samples compared with routine microbiology: 60.4% and 74.2% for Unyvero and FilmArray respectively vs 44.2% by routine microbiology. PCR tests also detected more pathogens per sample than routine microbiology. For common HAP/VAP pathogens, FilmArray had sensitivity of 91.7%-100.0% and specificity of 87.5%-99.5%; Unyvero had sensitivity of 50.0%-100.0%%, and specificity of 89.4%-99.0%. BLC analysis indicated that, compared with PCR, routine microbiology had low sensitivity, ranging from 27.0% to 69.4%.

INTERPRETATION

Conventional and BLC analysis demonstrated that both platforms performed similarly and were considerably more sensitive than routine microbiology, detecting potential pathogens in patient samples reported as culture negative. The increased sensitivity of detection realised by PCR offers potential for improved antimicrobial prescribing.

Factors predicting non-ventilated hospital-acquired pneumonia: systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) results in approximately 15-20% of all infections in hospitals, with more than two-thirds being in patients not using mechanical ventilation. The incidence of non-ventilated hospital-acquired pneumonia (NVHAP) is increasing, and it is associated with a longer length of stay, the need for intensive care unit hospitalization and mechanical ventilation use, and higher mortality.

AIM

To identify, quantify, and summarize predictive factors for NVHAP in adult patients admitted to non-intensive care units as determined by previous observational studies.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and LILACS were systematically searched. Case-control and cohort studies were included, and a meta-analysis was performed for all factors studied more than once. National Institute of Health assessment tools were applied to assess the quality of the studies.

FINDINGS

Thirty-eight articles showing 204 predictive factors were included. A meta-analysis was performed for 58 factors, 32 of which were significantly associated with NVHAP. When the sensitivity analysis was performed without poor-quality studies, 24 factors remained associated with NVHAP.

CONCLUSION

Although there is a lack of good-quality studies to establish predictive factors for NVHAP, the results of this study showed 24 factors associated with the development of this infectious complication. Knowledge of the significant predictive factors for NVHAP will enable the identification of patients most likely to develop it.

Effectiveness of chlorhexidine in preventing infections among patients undergoing cardiac surgeries: a meta-analysis and systematic review

Background

Although several meta-analyses reported the impact of chlorhexidine (CHX) use in patients undergoing various types of surgery, no meta-analysis summarized the overall effectiveness of CHX specifically for cardiac surgery. This meta-analysis aimed to examine the impact of CHX on infections after cardiac surgery compared with other cleansers or antiseptics.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception up to October 2020 for potentially eligible studies: (1) population: patients who underwent cardiac surgery; (2) intervention or exposure: any type of CHX use in the treatment or exposed group; (3) outcome: number of patients with infections; (4) comparison: placebo or other antiseptic agents; (5) English. The primary outcome was surgical site infection (SSI).

Results

Fourteen studies were included, with 8235 and 6901 patients in the CHX and control groups. CHX was not protective against SSI (OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.57–1.04, P = 0.090). CHX was protective for superficial wound infection (OR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.26–0.70, P = 0.001), but not with deep wound infection (P = 0.509). CHX was not protective against urinary tract of infection (P = 0.415) but was protective for bloodstream infection (OR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.16–0.80, P = 0.012), nosocomial infections (OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.44–0.69, P < 0.001), and pneumonia (OR = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.11–0.61, P = 0.002).

Conclusions

In patients undergoing cardiac surgery, CHX does not protect against SSI, deep wound infection, and urinary tract infections but might protect against superficial SSI, bloodstream infection, nosocomial infections, and pneumonia.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13756-021-01009-3.

Evaluation of multi-component interventions for prevention of nosocomial pneumonia in older adults: a randomized, controlled trial

AIMS

To evaluate the efficacy of multi-component interventions for prevention of hospital-acquired pneumonia in older patients hospitalized in geriatric wards.

METHODS

A randomized, parallel-group, controlled trial was undertaken in patients aged 65 and above who were admitted to a tertiary hospital geriatric unit from January 1, 2016 to June 30, 2018 for an acute non-respiratory illness. Participants were randomized by to receive either a multi-component intervention (consisting of reverse Trendelenburg position, dysphagia screening, oral care and vaccinations), or usual care. The outcome measures were the proportion of patients who developed hospital-acquired pneumonia during hospitalisation, and mean time from randomization to the next hospitalisation due to respiratory infections in 1 year.

RESULTS

A total of 123 participants (median age, 85; 43.1% male) were randomized, (n = 59) to intervention group and (n = 64) to control group. The multi-component interventions did not significantly reduce the incidence of hospital-acquired pneumonia but did increase the mean time to next hospitalisation due to respiratory infection (11.5 months vs. 9.5 months; P = 0.049), and reduced the risk of hospitalisation in 1 year (18.6% vs. 34.4%; P = 0.049). Implementation of multi-component interventions increased diagnoses of oropharyngeal dysphagia (35.6% vs. 20.3%; P < 0.001) and improved the influenza (54.5% vs 17.2%; P < 0.001) and pneumococcal vaccination rates (52.5% vs. 20.3%; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The nosocomial pneumonia multi-component intervention did not significantly reduce the incidence of hospital-acquired pneumonia during hospitalisation but reduce subsequent hospitalisations for respiratory infections.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrial.gov, NCT04347395.

Evaluation of antibiotic treatment decisions in pediatric intensive care units in Saudi Arabia: A national survey

OBJECTIVE

To describe variables used by Saudi pediatric intensivists to make antibiotic-related decisions for children with suspected severe bacterial infections.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional survey, which was developed using a multi-step methodological approach. The survey included 4 clinical scenarios of the most relevant bacterial infections in pediatric critical care (pneumonia, sepsis, meningitis and intra-abdominal infection). The potential determinants of antibiotic treatment duration addressed in all scenarios included clinical variables (patient characteristics, disease severity), laboratory infection markers, radiologic findings, and pathogens.

RESULTS

The response rate was 65% (55/85). Eight variables (immunodeficiency, 3 months of age, 2 or more organ dysfunctions, Pediatric Risk of Mortality III score >10, leukocytosis, elevated C-reactive protein [CRP], elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR], and elevated procalcitonin [PCT]) were associated with prolonging antibiotic treatment duration for all 4 clinical scenarios, with a median increase ranging from 3.0 days (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.5, 3.5, leukocytosis) to 8.8 days (95% CI 5.5, 10.5, immunodeficiency). There were no variables that were consistently associated with shortening antibiotic duration across all scenarios. Lastly, the proportion of physicians who would continue antibiotics for ≥5 days despite a positive viral polymerase chain reaction test result was 67% for pneumonia, 85% for sepsis, 63% for meningitis, and 95% for intra-abdominal infections.

CONCLUSION

Antibiotic-related decisions for critically ill patients are complex and depend on several factors. Saudi pediatric intensivists will use prolonged courses of antibiotics for younger patients, patients with severe clinical picture, and patients with persistently elevated laboratory markers and hospital acquired infections, even when current literature and guidelines do not suggest such practices. Antimicrobial stewardship programs should include interventions to address these misconceptions to ensure the rational use of antibiotics in pediatric intensive care units.

Are resistance rates among bloodstream isolates a good proxy for other infections? Analysis from the BSAC Resistance Surveillance Programme

BACKGROUND

Bacteraemia data are often used as a general measure of resistance prevalence but may poorly represent other infection types. We compared resistance prevalence between bloodstream infection (BSI) and lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) isolates collected by the BSAC Resistance Surveillance Programme.

METHODS

BSI isolates (n = 8912) were collected during 2014-18 inclusive and LRTI isolates (n = 6280) between October 2013 to September 2018 from participating laboratories in the UK and Ireland, to a fixed annual quota per species group. LRTI isolates, but not BSI, were selected by onset: community for Streptococcus pneumoniae; hospital for Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacterales. MICs were determined centrally by agar dilution; statistical modelling adjusted for ICU location and possible clustering by collection centre.

RESULTS

Resistance was more prevalent among the LRTI isolates, even after adjusting for a larger proportion of ICU patients. LRTI P. aeruginosa and S. pneumoniae were more often resistant than BSI isolates for most antibiotics, and the proportion of MRSA was higher in LRTI. For S. pneumoniae, the observation reflected different serotype distributions in LRTI and BSI. Relationships between LRTI and resistance were less marked for Enterobacterales, but LRTI E. coli were more often resistant to β-lactams, particularly penicillin/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations, and LRTI K. pneumoniae to piperacillin/tazobactam. For E. cloacae there was a weak association between LRTI, production of AmpC enzymes and cephalosporin resistance.

CONCLUSIONS

Estimates of resistance prevalence based upon bloodstream isolates underestimate the extent of the problem in respiratory isolates, particularly for P. aeruginosa, S. pneumoniae, S. aureus and, less so, for Enterobacterales.

Breathomics for the clinician: the use of volatile organic compounds in respiratory diseases

Exhaled breath analysis has the potential to provide valuable insight on the status of various metabolic pathways taking place in the lungs locally and other vital organs, via systemic circulation. For years, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been proposed as feasible alternative diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for different respiratory pathologies.We reviewed the currently published literature on the discovery of exhaled breath VOCs and their utilisation in various respiratory diseasesKey barriers in the development of clinical breath tests include the lack of unified consensus for breath collection and analysis and the complexity of understanding the relationship between the exhaled VOCs and the underlying metabolic pathways. We present a comprehensive overview, in light of published literature and our experience from coordinating a national breathomics centre, of the progress made to date and some of the key challenges in the field and ways to overcome them. We particularly focus on the relevance of breathomics to clinicians and the valuable insights it adds to diagnostics and disease monitoring.Breathomics holds great promise and our findings merit further large-scale multicentre diagnostic studies using standardised protocols to help position this novel technology at the centre of respiratory disease diagnostics.

Rapid metagenomics for diagnosis of bloodstream and respiratory tract nosocomial infections: current status and future prospects

Introduction: Nosocomial infections represent a major problem for the health-care systems worldwide. Currently, diagnosis relies on microbiological culture, which is slow and has poor sensitivity. While waiting for a diagnosis, patients are treated with empiric broad spectrum antimicrobials, which are often inappropriate for the infecting pathogen. This results in poor patient outcomes, poor antimicrobial stewardship and increased costs for health-care systems.Areas covered: Clinical metagenomics (CMg), the application of metagenomic sequencing for the diagnosis of infection, has the potential to become a viable alternative to culture that can offer rapid results with high accuracy. In this article, we review current CMg methods for the diagnosis of nosocomial bloodstream (BSI) and lower respiratory-tract infections (LRTI).Expert opinion: CMg approaches are more accurate in LRTI compared to BSI. This is because BSIs are caused by low pathogen numbers in a high background of human cells. To overcome this, most approaches focus on cell-free DNA, but, to date, these tests are not accurate enough yet to replace blood culture. The higher pathogen numbers in LRTI samples make this a more suitable for CMg and accurate approaches have been developed, which are likely to be implemented in hospitals within the next 2-5 years.

A Subgroup of Patients With Hospital-acquired Pneumonia Do Not Require Broad-spectrum Gram-negative Antimicrobial Coverage

Among 200 patients developing hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) outside the intensive care unit, 61% were treated empirically without broad-spectrum Gram-negative coverage, with clinical cure in 69.7%. Lower disease severity markers (systemic inflammatory response syndrome, hypoxia, tachypnoea, neutrophilia) and the absence of diabetes mellitus and prior doxycycline treatment (but not the time to HAP onset) identified patients not requiring broad-spectrum Gram-negative coverage.

Nosocomial Pneumonia in the Era of Multidrug-Resistance: Updates in Diagnosis and Management

Nosocomial pneumonia (NP), including hospital-acquired pneumonia in non-intubated patients and ventilator-associated pneumonia, is one of the most frequent hospital-acquired infections, especially in the intensive care unit. NP has a significant impact on morbidity, mortality and health care costs, especially when the implicated pathogens are multidrug-resistant ones. This narrative review aims to critically review what is new in the field of NP, specifically, diagnosis and antibiotic treatment. Regarding novel imaging modalities, the current role of lung ultrasound and low radiation computed tomography are discussed, while regarding etiological diagnosis, recent developments in rapid microbiological confirmation, such as syndromic rapid multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction panels are presented and compared with conventional cultures. Additionally, the volatile compounds/electronic nose, a promising diagnostic tool for the future is briefly presented. With respect to NP management, antibiotics approved for the indication of NP during the last decade are discussed, namely, ceftobiprole medocaril, telavancin, ceftolozane/tazobactam, ceftazidime/avibactam, and meropenem/vaborbactam.

British Association of Critical Care Nurses: Evidence-based consensus paper for oral care within adult critical care units

BACKGROUND

Patients who are critically ill are at increased risk of hospital acquired pneumonia and ventilator associated pneumonia. Effective evidence based oral care may reduce the incidence of such iatrogenic infection.

AIM

To provide an evidence-based British Association of Critical Care Nurses endorsed consensus paper for best practice relating to implementing oral care, with the intention of promoting patient comfort and reducing hospital acquired pneumonia and ventilator associated pneumonia in critically ill patients.

DESIGN

A nominal group technique was adopted. A consensus committee of adult critical care nursing experts from the United Kingdom met in 2018 to evaluate and review the literature relating to oral care, its application in reducing pneumonia in critically ill adults and to make recommendations for practice. An elected national board member for the British Association of Critical Care Nurses chaired the round table discussion.

METHODS

The committee focused on 5 aspects of oral care practice relating to critically ill adult patients. The evidence was evaluated for each practice within the context of reducing pneumonia in the mechanically ventilated patient or pneumonia in the non-ventilated patient. The five practices included the frequency for oral care; tools for oral care; oral care technique; solutions used and oral care in the non-ventilated patient who is critically ill and is at risk of aspiration. The group searched the best available evidence and evaluated this using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system to assess the quality of evidence from high to very low, and to formulate recommendations as strong, moderate, weak, or best practice consensus statement when applicable.

RESULTS

The consensus group generated recommendations, delineating an approach to best practice for oral care in critically ill adult patients. Recommendations included guidance for frequency and procedure for oral assessment, toothbrushing, and moisturising the mouth. Evidence on the use of chlorhexidine is not consistent and caution is advised with its routine use.

CONCLUSION

Oral care is an important part of the care of critically ill patients, both ventilated and non-ventilated. An effective oral care programme reduces the incidence of pneumonia and promotes patient comfort.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Effective oral care is integral to safe patient care in critical care.

Clinical and financial burden of hospitalised community-acquired pneumonia in patients with selected underlying comorbidities in England

Background

Hospitalised pneumonia may have long-term clinical and financial impact in adult patients with underlying comorbidities.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) database to determine the clinical and financial burden over 3 years of hospitalised community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) to England’s National Health Service (NHS). Subjects were adults with six underlying comorbidities (chronic heart disease (CHD); chronic kidney disease (CKD); chronic liver disease (CLD); chronic respiratory disease (CRD); diabetes mellitus (DM) and post bone marrow transplant (post-BMT)) with an inpatient admission in 2012/2013. Patients with CAP in 2013/2014 were followed for 3 years and compared with similarly aged, propensity score-matched adults with the same comorbidity without CAP.

Findings

The RR of hospital admissions increased after CAP, ranging from 1.08 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.12) for CKD to 1.38 (95% CI 1.35 to 1.40) for CRD. This increase was maintained for at least 2 years. Mean difference in hospital healthcare costs (£) was higher for CAP patients in 2013/2014; ranging from £1115 for DM to £8444 for BMT, and remained higher for 4/6 groups for 2 more years, ranging from £1907 (95% CI £1573 to £2240) for DM to £11 167 (95% CI £10 847 to £11 486) for CRD.) The OR for mortality was significantly higher for at least 3 years after CAP, ranging from 4.76 (95% CI 4.12 to 5.51, p<0.0001) for CLD to 7.50 (95%CI 4.71 to 11.92, p<0.0001) for BMT.

Interpretation

For patients with selected underlying comorbidities, healthcare utilisation, costs and mortality increase for at least 3 years after being hospitalised CAP.

Review of health economic models exploring and evaluating treatment and management of hospital-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia

BACKGROUND

Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) is pneumonia that occurs ≥48 h after hospital admission; it is the most common hospital-acquired infection contributing to death. Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) arises ≥48-72 h after intubation. Opinions differ on whether VAP is a subset of HAP; the same pathogens predominate in both. Compared with VAP-free controls, patients developing VAP are twice as likely to die and have significantly longer stays in intensive care units. Guidelines recommend that microbiological cultures should guide antibiotic treatment, but these lack sensitivity and take 48-72 h to process, meaning that initial therapy must be empiric, generally with broad-spectrum agents. Given increasing pressure to improve both antibiotic stewardship and patient outcomes, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Infectious Diseases Society of America recommend research into rapid molecular diagnostic tests to identify causative organisms and their antibiotic resistances. Ideally, these would supersede culture, being quicker and more sensitive. In the UK, the INHALE research programme, funded by the National Institute for Health Research, is exploring rapid molecular diagnostics to inform treatment of HAP/VAP and, given resource implications, incorporates a health economic component.

AIM

To identify previous economic modelling of HAP/VAP costs to inform this component.

METHODS

Literature review of HAP/VAP studies with economic modelling identified from three databases.

FINDINGS

Twenty studies were identified. Only one study specifically evaluated strategies to improve diagnosis; the remaining 19 studies omitted this important aspect.

CONCLUSION

HAP/VAP modelling would be improved by better awareness of long-term outcomes and treatment complexity. To the authors' knowledge, no similar literature reviews of economic modelling for HAP/VAP have been published.

Potentiation of imipenem by relebactam for Pseudomonas aeruginosa from bacteraemia and respiratory infections

BACKGROUND

Imipenem resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa most often entails loss of the 'carbapenem-specific' porin OprD; more rarely it reflects acquired carbapenemases. Loss of OprD only confers resistance to imipenem if AmpC β-lactamase is expressed, and we investigated whether this mechanism was overcome by relebactam, a developmental diazabicyclooctane β-lactamase inhibitor.

METHODS

Consecutive P. aeruginosa isolates causing bacteraemia or hospital-onset lower respiratory tract infections were collected between 2014 and 2016 under the aegis of the BSAC Resistance Surveillance Programme. Imipenem MICs were determined centrally by BSAC agar dilution, with relebactam at a fixed concentration (4 mg/L).

RESULTS

For most imipenem-susceptible P. aeruginosa (726/759, 95.7%), the MICs of imipenem alone were 0.5-2 mg/L and were decreased 3- to 4-fold by addition of relebactam, as based on geometric means or modes. For most imipenem-resistant P. aeruginosa (82/92, 89%), imipenem MICs were 8-16 mg/L, and were reduced to 1-2 mg/L by relebactam. These patterns applied regardless of whether the isolates were susceptible to penicillins and cephalosporins or had phenotypes suggesting derepressed AmpC or up-regulated efflux. Imipenem MICs for five P. aeruginosa with MBLs remained high (≥16 mg/L) regardless of relebactam.

CONCLUSIONS

Potentiation of imipenem by relebactam was almost universal, in accordance with the view that endogenous pseudomonal AmpC ordinarily protects against this carbapenem to a small degree. Imipenem MICs were reduced to the current breakpoint, or lower, except for MBL producers. Potentiation was not compromised by derepression of AmpC or up-regulation of efflux.

Predictors of early postoperative pneumonia after oncologic surgery with the patients receiving professional oral health care: A prospective, multicentre, cohort study

This study was a prospective, multicentre, cohort study on 685 patients who had undergone oncologic surgery. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of postoperative pneumonia. The two groups were compared with respect to their background, index operation, food eaten, oral condition, contents of oral care and dental treatment, laboratory data, and bacterial flora. All postoperative pneumonias occurred in six cases within four days postoperatively. The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative serum C-reactive protein was the strongest predictor of postoperative pneumonia. In addition, decreased postoperative Candida albicans colonies was an effective predictor of postoperative pneumonia. For patients with predictors of postoperative pneumonia, perioperative strategies for its prevention should be considered in addition to professional oral health care. This study was approved by the National Hospital Organization's Central Ethics Review Board and was also approved by the directors of the participating institutions.

Rapid and Point-of-Care Testing in Respiratory Tract Infections: An Antibiotic Guardian?

This is a narrative review on the potential of rapid and point-of-care microbiological testing in pneumonia patients, focusing particularly on hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia, which have substantial mortality and diverse microbiology. This work is written from a United Kingdom perspective, but much of it is generalizable internationally. In a world where antimicrobial resistance is a major international threat, the use of rapid molecular diagnostics has great potential to improve both the management of pneumonia patients and the stewardship of antibiotics. Rapid tests potentially can distinguish patients with bacterial versus viral infection and can swiftly identify bacterial pathogens and their resistances. We seek to answer the question: “Can such tests be used as an antibiotic guardian?” Their availability at the bedside rather than in the laboratory should best ensure that results are swiftly used to optimize patient management but will raise new challenges, not the least with respect to maintaining quality control and microbiology/infection control input. A further challenge lies in assessing the degree of trust that treating clinicians will place in these molecular diagnostic tests, particularly when early de-escalation of antibiotic therapy is indicated.

The impact of certain underlying comorbidities on the risk of developing hospitalised pneumonia in England

Background

UK specific data on the risk of developing hospitalised CAP for patients with underlying comorbidities is lacking. This study compared the likelihood of hospitalised all-cause community acquired pneumonia (CAP) in patients with certain high-risk comorbidities and a comparator group with no known risk factors for pneumococcal disease.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study interrogated data in the Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) dataset between financial years 2012/13 and 2016/17. In total 3,078,623 patients in England (aged ≥18 years) were linked to their hospitalisation records. This included 2,950,910 individuals with defined risk groups and a comparator group of 127,713 people who had undergone tooth extraction with none of the risk group diagnoses. Risk groups studied were chronic respiratory disease (CRD), chronic heart disease (CHD), chronic liver disease (CLD), chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetes (DM) and post bone marrow transplant (BMT). The patients were tracked forward from year 0 (2012/13) to Year 3 (2016/17) and all diagnoses of hospitalised CAP were recorded. A Logistic regression model compared odds of developing hospitalised CAP for patients in risk groups compared to healthy controls. The model was simultaneously adjusted for age, sex, strategic heath authority (SHA), index of multiple deprivation (IMD), ethnicity, and comorbidity. To account for differing comorbidity profiles between populations the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was applied. The model estimated odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals of developing hospitalised CAP for each specified clinical risk group.

Results

Patients within all the risk groups studied were more likely to develop hospitalised CAP than patients in the comparator group. The odds ratios varied between underlying conditions ranging from 1.18 (95% CI 1.13, 1.23) for those with DM to 5.48 (95% CI 5.28, 5.70) for those with CRD.

Conclusions

Individuals with any of 6 pre-defined underlying comorbidities are at significantly increased risk of developing hospitalised CAP compared to those with no underlying comorbid condition. Since the likelihood varies by risk group it should be possible to target patients with each of these underlying comorbidities with the most appropriate preventative measures, including immunisations.

Excess Mucin Impairs Subglottic Epithelial Host Defense in Mechanically Ventilated Patients

RATIONALE

Aspiration of infective subglottic secretions causes ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in mechanically ventilated patients. Mechanisms underlying subglottic colonization in critical illness have not been defined, limiting strategies for targeted prevention of VAP.

OBJECTIVES

To characterize subglottic host defense dysfunction in mechanically ventilated patients in the ICU; to determine whether subglottic mucin contributes to neutrophil phagocytic impairment and bacterial growth.

METHODS

Prospective subglottic sampling in mechanically ventilated patients (intubated for four or more days), and newly intubated control patients (intubated for less than 30 min); isolation and culture of primary subglottic epithelial cells from control patients; laboratory analysis of host innate immune defenses.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Twenty-four patients in the ICU and 27 newly intubated control patients were studied. Subglottic ICU samples had significantly reduced microbiological diversity and contained potential respiratory pathogens. The subglottic microenvironment in the ICU was characterized by neutrophilic inflammation, significantly increased proinflammatory cytokines and neutrophil proteases, and altered physical properties of subglottic secretions, including accumulation of mucins. Subglottic mucin from ICU patients impaired the capacity of neutrophils to phagocytose and kill bacteria. Phagocytic impairment was reversible on treatment with a mucolytic agent. Subglottic mucus promoted growth and invasion of bacterial pathogens in a novel air-liquid interface model of primary human subglottic epithelium.

CONCLUSIONS

Mechanical ventilation in the ICU is characterized by substantial mucin secretion and neutrophilic inflammation. Mucin impairs neutrophil function and promotes bacterial growth. Mucolytic agents reverse mucin-mediated neutrophil dysfunction. Enhanced mucus disruption and removal has potential to augment preventive benefits of subglottic drainage.

Prevention of Ventilator-Associated and Early Postoperative Pneumonia Through Tapered Endotracheal Tube Cuffs: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

OBJECTIVE

Microaspiration of subglottic secretions is considered a major pathogenic mechanism of hospital-acquired pneumonia, either early postoperative or ventilator-associated pneumonia. Tapered endotracheal tube cuffs have been proposed to provide a better seal of the extraluminal airway, thereby preventing microaspiration and possibly hospital-acquired pneumonia. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the value of endotracheal tubes with tapered cuffs in the prevention of hospital-acquired pneumonia.

DATA SOURCES

A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL/CCTR, ClinicalTrials.gov, and ICTRP was conducted up to March 2017.

STUDY SELECTION

Eligible trials were randomized controlled clinical trials comparing the impact of tapered cuffs versus standard cuffs on hospital-acquired pneumonia.

DATA EXTRACTION

Random-effects meta-analysis calculated odds ratio and 95% CI for hospital-acquired pneumonia occurrence rate between groups. Secondary outcome measures included mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of hospital and ICU stay, and cuff underinflation.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Six randomized controlled clinical trials with 1,324 patients from intensive care and postoperative wards were included. Only two studies concomitantly applied subglottic secretion drainage, and no trial performed continuous cuff pressure monitoring. No significant difference in hospital-acquired pneumonia incidence per patient was found when tapered cuffs were compared with standard cuffs (odds ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, [0.73-1.28]; p = 0.81). There were likewise no differences in secondary outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Application of tapered endotracheal tube cuffs did not reduce hospital-acquired pneumonia incidence among ICU and postoperative patients. Further research should examine the impact of concomitant use of tapered cuffs with continuous cuff pressure monitoring and subglottic secretion drainage.

A quality assessment of evidence-based guidelines for the prevention and management of ventilator-associated pneumonia: a systematic review

Background

Numerous evidence-based guidelines (EBGs) pertaining to ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) have been published by domestic and international organizations, but their qualities have not been reported.

Methods

A systematic search of the literature was performed up to July 2018 for relevant guidelines. Guidelines were eligible for inclusion if they incorporated recommendation statements for prevention and/or management in adults or children with VAP and were developed on a systematic evidence-based method. Four reviewers evaluated each guideline using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument, which comprises 23 items organized into six domains in addition to two overall items.

Results

Thirteen EBGs were identified for review. An overall high degree of agreement among reviewers was reached [intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), 0.885; 95% CI, 0.862-0.905] during their review. The scores (mean, range) for the six AGREE domains were: scope and purpose (61%, 51-74%), stakeholder involvement (36%, 18-68%), rigor of development (41%, 22-59%), clarity and presentation (56%, 47-71%), applicability (38%, 21-59%) and editorial independence (50%, 0-77%). Only two EBGs (15.4%) were rated "recommended" for clinical practice. Approximately 86% of recommendations were based on moderate or low levels of evidence (levels B-D were 46.2%, 19.0%, and 21.2%, respectively). The recommendations for prevention and management of VAP were similar among the different EBGs.

Conclusions

The overall quality of the identified EBGs pertaining to VAP was classified as moderate. The management of VAP varied by guideline. More high-quality evidence is needed to improve guideline recommendations.

Prognostic Value of Procalcitonin in Pneumonia among Patients Admitted to Intensive Care Unit

Objectives Pneumonia is one of the leading causes of death in the intensive care unit (ICU). Many biomarkers for predicted prognosis have been suggested; among these, procalcitonin (PCT) is known to increase in cases of bacterial infection. However, there have been many debates regarding whether PCT is an appropriate prognostic marker for pneumonia. Therefore, we investigated whether PCT can serve as a biomarker for pneumonia, and compared it with CURB-65, which is a known tool for predicting the prognosis of pneumonia. Methods Levels of PCT and CURB-65 scores were compared between 30-day non-survival (n = 30) and survival (n = 101) patients. Relationships between PCT and CURB-65 were determined by using linear regression analysis, as well as by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and calculation of the area under the curve (AUC). High and low PCT groups were compared. Results High PCT and high CURB-65 score were positively associated with 30-day mortality. For the prediction of 30-day mortality, initial PCT and CURB-65 exhibited AUCs of 0.63 and 0.66; these were not significantly different (P = 0.132). We found that the high PCT group had a higher rate of initial treatment failure (91%, P = 0.004). Conclusions Initial PCT can be a prognostic biomarker for mortality in severe pneumonia, similar to the CURB-65 score. Initial high PCT was positively associated with initial treatment failure.

Comparative efficacy of doripenem versus meropenem for hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia

BACKGROUND

Doripenem shows good in vitro activity against common nosocomial pathogens, such as extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii. However, the use of doripenem for hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) remains controversial. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety between doripenem and meropenem for patients with HAP or VAP.

METHODS

Adult patients diagnosed with HAP and VAP at National Taiwan University Hospital, who received doripenem or meropenem for more than 48 h between January 2015 and November 2017, were retrospectively reviewed. All-cause mortality on the 30th day was used as the primary outcome measurements.

RESULTS

Fifty-seven patients with doripenem and 252 patients with meropenem were analyzed. Compared to the meropenem group, the doripenem group was younger and had a higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score. Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that presence of solid organ malignancies (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 1.82; 95% CI, 1.04-3.19, p = 0.003) and SOFA score (AHR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.03-1.17, p = 0.003) were independent factors associated with mortality. There was no survival difference of 30-day mortality between patients receiving doripenem and meropenem for HAP or VAP (log-rank p = 0.113). However, a poorer outcome was observed among patients with hematological disease in the doripenem group (log-rank p = 0.012).

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrate that doripenem has similar efficacy as meropenem in HAP or VAP patients. With an aim to enhance antibiotic diversity, doripenem could be an alternative choice for patients with HAP or VAP, except for those with hematological malignancies.

Network meta-analysis and pharmacoeconomic evaluation of antibiotics for the treatment of patients infected with complicated skin and soft structure infection and hospital-acquired or ventilator-associated penumonia

Background

Infections due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) cause serious health risks and significant economic burdens and the preferred drugs are still controversial.

Methods

We performed a network meta-analysis (NMA) to compare the efficacy and safety of antibiotics used to treat inpatients with complicated skin and soft structure infections (cSSSI) or hospital-acquired or ventilator-associated pneumonia (HAP/VAP). We also developed a decision tree model to assess the cost-effectiveness of antibiotics.

Results

Forty-nine randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria (34 for cSSSI, 15 for HAP/VAP) and compared the efficacy and safety of 16 antibiotics. For cSSSI, NMA indicated that for clinical cure, linezolid was superior than vancomycin (odds ratio (OR) 1.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19–2.02), while tedizolid (OR 1.39, CI 0.70–2.76) was similar to vancomycin. In terms of safety, there were no significant differences between any two interventions on total adverse events. Based on drug and hospital costs in America, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) per life-year saved for linezolid and tedizolid compared with vancomycin were US$2833 and US$5523. For HAP/VAP, there were no significant effects either for clinical cure or for safety endpoints between linezolid and vancomycin in NMA. ICERs per life-year saved for linezolid compared with vancomycin were US$2185.

Conclusion

In these clinical trials, considering efficacy, safety, and cost-effectivenes, linezolid and tedizolid showed their superiority in MRSA cSSSI; while linezolid might be recommended to treat MRSA pneumonia. Although vancomycin was not cost-effective in pharmacoeconomic evaluation, it is still the first-line treatment for MRSA infection in the clinical practice. This study might provide new insights of therapeutic choices for patients with MRSA infections whilst awaiting the arrival of higher quality evidence.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13756-019-0518-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Invasive mechanical ventilation in the emergency department

Emergency department (ED) lenght of stay of the patients requiring admission to the intensive care units has increased gradually in recent years. Mechanical ventilation is an integral part of critical care and mechanically ventilated patients have to be managed and monitored by emergency physicians for longer than expected in EDs. This early period of care has significant impact on the outcomes of these patients. Therefore, emergency physicians should have comprehensive knowledge of mechanical ventilation. This review will summarize the current literature of the basic concepts, appropriate clinical applications, monitoring parameters, components and mechanisms of mechanical ventilation in the ED.

Epidemiology of infection in mechanical circulatory support: A global analysis from the ISHLT Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support Registry

BACKGROUND

Despite advances in device technology and treatment strategies, infection remains a major cause of adverse events (AEs) in mechanical circulatory support (MCS) patients. To characterize the epidemiology of MCS infection, we examined the type, location, and timing of infection in the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation Registry (ISHLT) for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (IMACS) over 3 years, 2013 to 2015.

METHODS

Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) definitions were used to categorize AE infections occurring in MCS patients within IMACS. The IMACS infection variables were mapped to ISHLT definitions for infection where feasible. Three categories of MCS infection were defined as ventricular assist device (VAD) specific, VAD related, and non-VAD.

RESULTS

There were 10,171 patients enrolled from January 2013 through December 2015. Infection was the most common AE, with 3,788 patients (37%) experiencing ≥ 1 infection, and 6,758 AE infections reported overall. Non-VAD infection was the largest category, 4,501: 34.0% pneumonias, 30.6% non-VAD-related bloodstream infections (BSIs), 24.15% urinary tract infections (UTIs), and 10.2% gastrointestinal infections. VAD-specific infection was the second largest category, 1,756: 82.9% driveline, 12.8% pocket, and 4.3% pump/or cannula infections. VAD-related infection was the smallest category, 501: 47.5% BSIs, 47.5% mediastinitis, and 5.0% mediastinitis/pocket infections. All 3 categories were more frequently reported ≤ 3 months after implant.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-VAD infection, including pneumonia, BSI, UTI, and gastrointestinal infection, was the leading category of infection in MCS patients and the most frequently reported ≤ 3 months after implant. These results provide evidence to support resourcing and strengthening infection prevention strategy early after implantation in MCS.

Multimodality respiratory physiotherapy reduces mortality but may not prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia or reduce length of stay in the intensive care unit: a systematic review

QUESTION

In intubated adult patients receiving mechanical ventilation, does multimodality respiratory physiotherapy prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia, shorten length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and reduce mortality?

DESIGN

A systematic review with meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

PARTICIPANTS

Intubated adult patients undergoing mechanical ventilation who were admitted to an intensive care unit.

INTERVENTION

More than two respiratory physiotherapy techniques such as positioning or postural drainage, manual hyperinflation, vibration, rib springing, and suctioning.

OUTCOMES MEASURES

Incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), duration of ICU stay, and mortality.

RESULTS

Five trials were included in the meta-analysis. Random-effects models were used to calculate pooled weighted mean difference (WMD) for length of ICU stay and pooled risk ratio (RR) for incidence of VAP, and fixed-effects model was used to calculate pooled RR for mortality. The effect on the incidence of VAP was unclear (RR 0.73 in favour of multimodality respiratory physiotherapy, 95% CI 0.38 to 1.07). The effect on length of stay was also unclear (WMD -0.33days shorter with multimodality respiratory physiotherapy, 95% CI -2.31 to 1.66). However, multimodality respiratory physiotherapy significantly reduced mortality (RR 0.75, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.92).

CONCLUSION

Multimodality respiratory physiotherapy appeared to reduce mortality in ICU patients. It was unclear whether this occurred via a reduction in the incidence of VAP and/or length of stay because the available data provided very imprecise estimates of the effect of multimodality respiratory physiotherapy on these outcomes. These very imprecise estimates include the possibility of very worthwhile effects on VAP incidence and length of ICU stay; therefore, these outcomes should be the focus of further investigation in rigorous trials.

REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42018094202. [Pozuelo-Carrascosa DP, Torres-Costoso A, Alvarez-Bueno C, Cavero-Redondo I, López Muñoz P, Martínez-Vizcaíno V (2018) Multimodality respiratory physiotherapy reduces mortality but may not prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia or reduce length of stay in the intensive care unit: a systematic review. Journal of Physiotherapy 64: 222-228].

Pre-intensive care unit intubation and subsequent delayed intensive care unit admission is independently associated with increased occurrence of ventilator-associated pneumonia

INTRODUCTION

Critically ill intubated patients are at risk for ventilator-associated pneumonia. However, intubation may not occur in intensive care unit (ICU) and subsequent ICU admission may be delayed.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate whether intubation >24 h prior ICU admission and delay in ICU admission is associated with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in non-trauma critically ill patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Prospective observational study conducted in a medical-surgical ICU of a tertiary hospital. Consecutive patients with >48 h of invasive mechanical ventilation and >72 h hospitalization, were recruited in the study. Pre-ICU intubation and delay in ICU admission, demographical, clinical, microbiological data and ICU interventions were assessed as risk factors for VAP and ICU mortality.

RESULTS

100 patients were included in the study. Pre-ICU intubation and delayed (>24 h) ICU admission (PDA patients) (P = 0.014, OR = 3.294, confidence interval 1.268-8.557) and SOFA score on ICU admission (P = 0.045, OR = 1.154, confidence interval 1.003-1.328) were independent risk factors for VAP in ICU care setting. Yet, PDA patients, presented significantly increased incidence of VAP due to MDR bacteria, mainly from Acinetobacter baumannii. Acinetobacter baumannii infection was the only independent risk factor for ICU mortality (P = 0.049, OR = 3.253, confidence interval 1.006-10.521). SOFA score on ICU admission, presented a fair prognostic accuracy of overall ICU mortality (SOFA ≥ 8.5, AUC = 0.850, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Pre-ICU intubation and delayed ICU admission was independent risk factor for VAP Acinetobacter baumannii infection and a high SOFA score on ICU admission were predictors of increased ICU mortality.