OBJECTIVE To evaluate the utility of endotracheal aspirate microscopy, culture and endotracheal tube tip culture for early diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia in neonates. METHODS Inborn ventilated neonates were followed-up for ventilator-associated pneumonia using Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria. Endotracheal aspirate microscopy, culture and endotracheal tub...

Dr. Taut is an employee of Nycomed, the manufacturer of Venticute; Drs. Rippin and Spragg have contractual and consulting relationships, respectively, with Nycomed. Dr. Günther serves as a consultant to Nycomed, he has a patent application pending for research related to the manuscript, and is a member of a scientific advisory board in the Venticute study. Reproduction of this article is prohib...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) remains a frequent and severe complication in endotracheally intubated patients. Strict adherence to preventive measures reduces the risk of VAP. The objective of this paper is to review what has come forward in recent years in the nonpharmacological prevention of VAP. RECENT FINDINGS It seems advantageous to implement care bundles rathe...

Implementation of care bundles for prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and its impact on patient outcomes requires validation with long-term follow-up. A collaborative multi-centre cohort study was conducted in five Spanish adult intensive-care units. A care bundle approach based on five measures was implemented after a 3-month baseline period, and compliance, VAP rates, intensi...

There is a striking paradox in the literature supporting high-profile measures to reduce ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP): many studies show significant reductions in VAP rates but almost none show any impact on patients' duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay in the intensive care unit and hospital, or mortality. The paradox is largely attributable to lack of specificity in th...

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) continues to be an important cause of morbidity and mortality in ventilated patients. Evidence-based guidelines have been issued since 2001 by the European Task Force on ventilator-associated pneumonia, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Canadian Critical Care Society, and also by the American Thoracic Society and Infectious Diseases Societ...

Ventilator-associated pneumonia is preceded by lower-respiratory-tract colonization by pathogenic microorganisms that derive from endogenous or exogenous sources. Most ventilator-associated pneumonias are the result of exogenous nosocomial colonization, especially, pneumonias caused by resistant bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and multi-resistant Acinetobacter baum...