RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To assess the predictive factors of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) occurrence following open tracheotomy in trauma patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted an observational, prospective study over 15 months, between 01/08/2010 and 30/11/2011. All trauma patients (except those with cervical spine trauma), older than 15 years, undergoing open tracheotomy during their ICU stay were included. All episode of VAP following tracheotomy were recorded. Predictive factor of VAP onset were studied. RESULTS: We included 106 patients. Mean age was 37.9 ± 15.5 years. Mean Glasgow coma Scale (GCS) was 8.5 ± 3.7 and mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 53.1 ± 23.8. Tracheotomy was performed for 53 patients (50%) because of prolonged ventilation whereas 83 patients (78.3%) had tracheotomy because of projected long mechanical ventilation. Tracheotomy was performed within 8.6 ± 5.3 days. Immediate complications were bleeding events (22.6%) and barotrauma (0.9%). Late complications were stomal infection (28.3%) and VAP (52.8%). In multivariate analysis, independent factors predicting VAP onset were delayed tracheotomy (OR = 0.041; CI95% [1.02-7.87]; P = 0.041) and stomal infection (OR = 3.04; CI95% [1.02-9.93]; P = 0.045). Thirty three patients died in ICU (31.1%) without significant impact of VAP on mortality. CONCLUSION: Late tracheotomy and stomal infection are independent factors predicting VAP onset after open tracheotomy in trauma patients. The occurrence of VAP prolongers mechanical ventilation duration and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS) but doesn't increase mortality.
RESUMO
The purpose of this study was to analyze the efficacy of corticosteroids in severe acute decompensation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Pairwise retrospective case-control study with 1:1 matching. Patients were defined as cases when they received corticosteroids and as controls when they did not received any steroids. Patients were matched according to age, severity factors at admission represented by the PaO2/FiO2 ratio, and simplified acute physiology score. Thirty-four patients were included. There were 17 patients in the case group and 17 patients in the control group. There were 27 men (80%) and 7 women (20%). The mean age (±SD) was 70 ± 9 years with a range of 40-85 years. Thirty-two patients (94 %) were older than 60 years. The comparison between the 2 groups showed that they had the same epidemiological, clinical, and biological findings on ICU admission. Homodynamic parameters were also not significantly different between the 2 groups. Moreover, there is the same proportion of invasive mechanical ventilation use in 2 groups. Concomitant drugs used were also not significantly different between the 2 groups. Finally, the comparison of outcome between the steroid and steroid-free groups showed that mortality rate was not significantly different (64% vs. 58%, P = 0.72). However, systemic corticosteroid therapy was associated with a significant increase in a reduction in the duration of mechanical ventilation (P = 0.004) and a trend toward a shorter length of ICU stay (P = 0.053). Although the authors detected no significant difference in mortality rate at the time of discharge between steroid and streroid-free patients, this study confirms that systemic corticosteroid therapy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations requiring mechanical ventilation is associated with a significant reduction in the duration of mechanical ventilation. Other studies are needed on this subject.
