RESUMO
Treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pneumonia in critically ill patients remains unsatisfactory. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of aerosolised vancomycin in addition to intravenous administration in this setting. This was a prospective, noncomparative, phase II trial. Patients receiving mechanical ventilation for >48 h in intensive care units (ICUs) were screened; those receiving intravenous vancomycin for MRSA pneumonia were enrolled. Patients received aerosolised vancomycin (250 mg every 12 h for five days) via a vibrating mesh nebuliser. The primary outcome was treatment success (clinical cure or improvement) at the conclusion of antibiotic treatment. Vancomycin concentrations were measured in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid according to administration time. Twenty patients were enrolled (median age 75 years and 13 (65%) men; 18 (90%) cases with nosocomial pneumonia). Thirteen patients (65%) showed clinical cure or improvement. Microbiological eradication of MRSA was confirmed in 14 patients (70%). ICU and hospital mortality rates were 30% and 35%, respectively. Maximum aerosolised vancomycin concentration was observed 4-5 h after nebulising (98.75 ± 21.79 mcg/mL). No additional systemic adverse effects occurred following aerosol vancomycin treatment. Aerosolised vancomycin combination therapy may be an alternative treatment for patients with severe MRSA pneumonia receiving mechanical ventilation (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01925066).
RESUMO
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Only a few epidemiologic studies on the patients with pulmonary disorders admitted to intensive care unit exist. We investigated the characteristics and clinical outcomes of the patients with severe pulmonary disorders. METHODS: The sample cohort database of National Health Insurance Sharing Service from 2006 to 2015 was used. Operational definition of critically ill patients was adults who were either admitted to intensive care unit for at least 3 days or expired within first 2 days in the unit. The pulmonary disorder group comprised of critically ill patients with respiratory disease as the main diagnosis. RESULTS: Among the 997,173 patients, 12,983 (1.3%) in 383 intensive care units were categorized as critically ill. Patients in the pulmonary disorder group tended to have more comorbidities or disabilities. The length of hospital stay and duration of mechanical ventilation were longer in the pulmonary disorder group. Overall mortality and re-admission were higher in the pulmonary disorder group, with adjusted incidence rate ratios of 1.22 (95% confidence interval, 1.18 to 1.27) and 1.26 (95% confidence interval, 1.17 to 1.36), respectively. After adjustment by Cox regression, the pulmonary disorder group was an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSION: In critically ill patients with pulmonary disorder, the use of healthcare resources was higher, and their clinical outcomes were significantly worse than the non-pulmonary disorder group.
