Retrospective evaluation of ventilator associated pneumonia cases in anesthesiology intensive care unit

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is defined as pneumonia occurring more than 48?72 hours after the initiation of endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation especially in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Diagnosis is usually based on clinical, radiological, microbiological data. The aim this study is to evaluate the results of the quantitative cultures of Endotracheal Aspirate (EA) in patients that are clinically diagnosed as VAP. This retrospective study was performed between 01.01.2008?31.12.2010 in 8?bed capacity Dicle University Faculty of Medicine Anesthesiology and Reanimation ICU. Patients with a preoperative diagnostic criteria of VAP were excluded. The EA specimens collected from patients were sent to Microbiology Laboratory for bacteriological procedures and identification.85 of the 485 patients included in this study were diagnosed clinically as VAP. The mean age of patients was 49 ± 17.3 years and the ages was ranging between 11?85 years. The mean duration of MV was 20 ± 22 days. 34 patients (40%) were female and 51 (60%) were male. The EA cultures yielded gram-negative bacteria in 70 patients (%82.3), gram-positive bacteria in 6 patients (%7.1) and polymicrobial organisms in 9 patients (%10.6) (Table 1). Of the 85 clinically diagnosed as VAP patients; 41(%48.2) were died, while 44 patients (%51.8) were discharged from the hospital.In conclusion; each unit should follow their own bacteriologic flora and antibiotic resistance rates and should identify options for the treatment and control of infections. Each ICU should determine their own methods for the diagnosis of VAP and perform appropriate and early treatment of VAP and focus on ICU quality improvement programs; particularly in infection control.