De-escalation therapy rates are significantly higher by bronchoalveolar lavage than by tracheal aspirate.

OBJECTIVE: To assess outcomes with de-escalation therapy in ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Multidisciplinary intensive care unit. PATIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS: VAP was diagnosed by positive quantitative cultures of both tracheal aspirate and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and treated appropriately for all significant isolates of tracheal aspirate and BAL in 143 patients who were assigned to de-escalation therapy by BAL or tracheal aspirate. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Antibiotic therapy was de-escalated in 58 patients (40.5%), who had decreased mortality at day 15 (5.1% vs. 31.7%) and day 28 (12% vs. 43.5%) and shorter intensive care unit (17.2 +/- 1.2 vs. 22.7 +/- 6.3 days) and hospital (23.7 +/- 2.8 vs. 29.8 +/- 11.1 days) stay (p < 0.05). Of the 81 patients assigned to tracheal aspirate, the 17 (21%) who achieved de-escalation of therapy had reduced 15-day mortality (5.8% vs. 34.3%), reduced 28-day mortality (11.6% vs. 45.3%), and shorter intensive care unit (17.2 +/- 1.6 vs. 22.4 +/- 6.4 days) and hospital (23.1 +/- 4.4 vs. 29.9 +/- 11.1 days) stay (p < 0.05). Of the 62 patients assigned to BAL, the 41 (66.1%) who achieved de-escalation of therapy had decreased 15-day mortality (4.8% vs. 23.8%), decreased 28-day mortality (12.1% vs. 38%), and shorter intensive care unit (17.2 +/- 1.1 vs. 23.2 +/- 6 days) and hospital (23.8 +/- 2.4 vs. 29.8 +/- 11.4 days) stay (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: For patients with VAP who have had appropriate treatment and shown a favorable clinical response, mortality and duration of stay can be further improved by de-escalation therapy.

Both early-onset and late-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia are caused mainly by potentially multiresistant bacteria.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the causative pathogens of early-onset and late-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) diagnosed by bronchoalveolar lavage quantitative cultures. Most previous reports have been based on endotracheal aspirate cultures and gave uncertain findings. DESIGN: Prospective evaluation of consecutive patients with clinical suspicion for VAP. SETTING: Multidisciplinary intensive care unit of a university hospital. PATIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS: During a 3-year period 473 patients with clinical suspicion of VAP entered the study. Diagnosis of VAP was confirmed by cultures of bronchoalveolar lavage (> 10(4) cfu/ml) specimens in 408 patients. INTERVENTIONS: Protected bronchoalveolar lavage samples were taken. Initial antibiotic therapy was modified upon bronchoalveolar lavage culture results. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Among 408 patients 191 had early-onset (< 7 days mechanical ventilation) and 217 late-onset (> or = 7 days) VAP. Potentially multiresistant bacteria, mainly Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), were the most commonly isolated pathogens in both types of VAP. No difference was noted in the contribution of potentially multiresistant pathogens (79% vs. 85%), P. aeruginosa (42% vs. 47%), or MRSA (33% vs. 30%) between early-onset and late-onset VAP. Initial antibiotic therapy was modified in 58% of early-onset VAP episodes and in 36% of late-onset VAP episodes. No difference in mortality was found between the two types of VAP. CONCLUSIONS: Both early-onset and late-onset VAP were mainly caused by potentially multiresistant bacteria, most commonly P. aeruginosa and MRSA. Antimicrobial agents against these pathogens should be prescribed empirically, at least in our institution.