Publications

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients at risk for ventilator-associated pneumonia and to describe risk factors for P. aeruginosa ventilator-associated pneumonia. Design: Prospective, observational study. Setting: ICUs at 56 sites in 11 countries across four regions: the United States (n = 502 patients), Europe (n = 495), Latin America (n = 500), and Asia Pacific (n = 376). Patients: Adults intubated and mechanically ventilated for 48 hours to 7 days, inclusive. Interventions: None (local standard of care). Measurements and Main Results: Ventilator-associated pneumonia prevalence as defined by local investigators were 15.6% (293/1,873) globally, 13.5% in the United States, 19.4% in Europe, 13.8% in Latin America, and 16.0% in Asia Pacific (p = 0.04). Corresponding P. aeruginosa ventilator-associated pneumonia prevalences were 4.1%, 3.4%, 4.8%, 4.6%, and 3.2% (p = 0.49). Of 50 patients with P. aeruginosa ventilator-associated pneumonia who underwent surveillance testing, 19 (38%) had prior P. aeruginosa colonization and 31 (62%) did not (odds ratio, 7.99; 95% CI, 4.31–14.71). Of predefined risk factors for multidrug resistance (hereafter, risk factors), the most frequent in all patients were antimicrobial therapy within 90 days (51.9% of enrolled patients) and current hospitalization of more than or equal to 5 days (45.3%). None of these risk factors were significantly associated with P. aeruginosa ventilator-associated pneumonia by multivariate logistic regression. Risk factors associated with prior P. aeruginosa colonization were antimicrobial therapy within 90 days (odds ratio, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.29–0.73) and high proportion of antibiotic resistance in the community or hospital unit (odds ratio, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.14–2.82). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that ventilator-associated pneumonia remains a common ICU infection and that P. aeruginosa is one of the most common causative pathogens. The odds of developing P. aeruginosa ventilator-associated pneumonia were eight times higher in patients with prior P. aeruginosa colonization than in uncolonized patients, which in turn was associated with local resistance.

During endotoxic shock, beta-stimulation can improve hepatosplanchnic perfusion and enhance tissue oxygen extraction capabilities, whereas alpha-stimulation does not. In addition, alpha-adrenergic stimulation can increase tumor necrosis factor levels.

The evidence base on impedance threshold devices is apparently inconclusive, with a neutral impact on clinically relevant outcomes. However, exploratory analysis focusing on the combined use of impedance threshold devices with active compression-decompression suggests that this combo treatment may be useful to improve patient prognosis.

The effects of norepinephrine and dobutamine were compared during endotoxin shock in dogs anesthetized either with enflurane (E: 1.5%, N = 12) or with i.v. ketamine (K: 5 mg.kg-1 + 0.2 mg.kg-1.min-1, N = 12). An i.v. bolus of 1.5 mg.kg-1 E. coli endotoxin was followed by saline infusion to restore left-sided filling pressures at baseline. With E, heart rate, mean arterial pressure and stroke index decreased (P less than 0.01). The decrease in oxygen delivery (DO2) and in oxygen consumption (VO2) was associated with an increase in blood lactate. In contrast, K anesthesia was associated with remarkable hemodynamic stability. DO2 was well maintained, VO2 decreased (P less than 0.01) and blood lactate did not change. Under E anesthesia, mean arterial pressure increased more with norepinephrine and heart rate increased more with dobutamine. Under K anesthesia, cardiac index, stroke index and left ventricular stroke work index increased similarly with both agents. In both groups DO2 and VO2 increased markedly. The amount of fluid infused was higher with dobutamine than with norepinephrine. Thus, enflurane but not ketamine had depressant cardiovascular effects at the doses used in this model. With both anesthetics, norepinephrine and dobutamine could effectively improve cardiac function. Dobutamine could therefore represent a valuable alternative to norepinephrine for cardiovascular support during anesthesia in septic shock.

Automated pupillometry cannot predict CAR indices such as Mxa in a heterogeneous population of critically ill patients.