ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of ventilator circuit change frequency on ventilatorassociated pneumonia (VAP).MethodsMeta-analysis of effects of ventilator circuit change frequency on VAP was conducted with study-level data from 1995 to 2010 in Pubmed,Embase,Web of Science databases.ResultsNine articles were included (sample size:20 326 mechanically ventilated patients).Analysis of six articles showed that the incidence of VAP in ventilator circuit change every 2 or 3 days was 4.05％,while 3.65％ in ventilator circuit change every 7 days.Compared with change ventilator circuit every 2 or 3 days,the risk ratio (RR) of VAP in weekly changes was 0.77 [0.54,1.09] ( P =0.14 ).Analysis three articles showed that compared to ventilator circuit change every 7 days with 15.89％ incidence of VAP,the incidence of VAP in circuit change more than 14 days was 14.9％,and RR was 0.98 [0.69,1.39](P =0.91 ).ConclusionsRegular ventilator circuit change frequency in various intervals can't difference in the incidence of VAP in mechanical ventilation patients.