VENTILATOR-ASSOCIATED PNEUMONIA IN A TERTIARY CARE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT: RISK FACTORS AND MICROBIAL PROFILE

Forcreatingefficientpreventativestrategies,knowledgeoftheetiology,antibioticresistancepatternsandriskfactorsfordevelopingVentilatorassociatedpneumonia[VAP]inICUpatientsisessential.Thisprospectiveobservationalcross-sectionaltwo-yearstudywasdonetorecognizeriskfactorsforthedevelopmentofVAP,causalagentsandtheirantimicrobialsusceptibilitypattern.FiftylateonsetVAPand26earlyonsetVAPpatientswereexamined.Prolongedmechanicalventilation,reintubation,andtracheostomywereidentifiedasimportantriskfactors.AcinetobacterbaumanniicomplexKlebsiellapneumoniaewerethemainbacterialpathogens.TheideaofdifferentiatingpathogensbasedonlateandearlyonsetVAPmaynolongerbeusefulforempiricaltherapy.IdentifyingtheriskfactorscanaidinpreventionofVAPinICUpatients.