Incidence, characteristic and outcomes of ventilator-associated pneumonia among type 2 diabetes patients: An observational population-based study in Spain

Incidence, Risk Factors, Microbiology and Outcomes of VAP at an NCU in India: A Prospective Observational Study

Background

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) remains a major challenge while managing ventilated critically ill patients in neurocritical care units (NCUs).

Materials and methods

This was a prospective, single-center, observational study. All adult patients admitted to our NCU requiring mechanical ventilation (MV) for >48 hours were screened for VAP as per clinical pulmonary infectious score (CPIS) criteria. The primary outcome was the incidence of VAP in the ICU. Secondary outcomes were risk factors, microbiology, percentage of MDR/XDR organisms, mortality, and length of stay (LOS) of VAP.

Results

A total of 24.94% (114 of 457) patients developed VAP. The incidence of VAP was 39.43/1000 ventilator days. Multivariate analysis of the risk factors identified, male gender, low Glasgow coma scale (GCS) of 3-8, prolonged ventilation, and diabetes mellitus as significant risk factors for the development of VAP (p < 0.05). Acinetobacter baumannii (31.58%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (28.95%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (13.16%) were the most common organisms responsible for VAP. Most of these isolates were multidrug resistant (MDR) (81.58%), and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) organisms (12.28%). Although VAP patients had longer ICU-LOS (26.2 ± 24.2 vs 11.8 ± 6.9 days, p < 0.0001), it did not affect the mortality (18.4% for VAP vs 14.3% for non-VAP, p = 0.5).

Conclusion

Ventilator-associated pneumonia has a high incidence of 39.43 per 1,000 ventilator days in the Indian neurocritical care setting.

How to cite this article

Zirpe K, Kapse U, Sharma A, Kulkarni AP, Gurav S, Tiwari A, et al. Incidence, Risk Factors, Microbiology and Outcomes of VAP at an NCU in India: A Prospective Observational Study. Indian J Crit Care Med 2025;29(4):308-313.

Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia After Cardiac Arrest and Prevention Strategies: A Narrative Review

Background and Objectives: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) poses a significant threat to the clinical outcomes and hospital stays of mechanically ventilated patients, particularly those recovering from cardiac arrest. Given the already elevated mortality rates in cardiac arrest cases, the addition of VAP further diminishes the chances of survival. Consequently, a paramount focus on VAP prevention becomes imperative. This review endeavors to comprehensively delve into the nuances of VAP, specifically in patients requiring mechanical ventilation in post-cardiac arrest care. The overarching objectives encompass (I) exploring the etiology, risk factors, and pathophysiology of VAP, (II) delving into available diagnostic modalities, and (III) providing insights into the management options and recent treatment guidelines. Methods: A literature search was conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar databases for articles about VAP and Cardiac arrest. We used the MeSH terms "VAP", "Cardiac arrest", "postcardiac arrest syndrome", and "postcardiac arrest syndrome". The clinical presentation, diagnostic, and management strategies of VAP were summarized, and all authors reviewed the selection and decided which studies to include. Key Content and Findings: The incidence and mortality rates of VAP exhibit significant variability, yet a recurring pattern emerges, marked by prolonged hospitalization and exacerbated clinical outcomes. This pattern is attributed to the elevated incidence of drug-resistant infections and the delayed initiation of antimicrobial treatment. This review focuses on VAP, aiming to offer valuable insights into the efficient identification and management of this fatal complication in post-cardiac arrest patients. Conclusion: The prognosis for survival after cardiac arrest is already challenging, and the outlook becomes even more daunting when complicated by VAP. The timely diagnosis of VAP and initiation of antibiotics pose considerable challenges, primarily due to the invasive nature of obtaining high-quality samples and the time required for speciation and identification of antimicrobial sensitivity. The controversy surrounding prophylactic antibiotics persists, but promising new strategies have been proposed; however, they are still awaiting well-designed clinical trials.

Hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens: Understanding epidemiology, resistance patterns, and implications with COVID-19

The ongoing spread of antimicrobial resistance has complicated the treatment of bacterial hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Gram-negative pathogens, especially those with multidrug-resistant profiles, including Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter spp., are important culprits in this type of infections. Understanding the determinants of resistance in pathogens causing pneumonia is ultimately stressing, especially in the shadows of the COVID-19 pandemic, when bacterial lung infections are considered a top priority that has become urgent to revise. Globally, the increasing prevalence of these pathogens in respiratory samples represents a significant infection challenge, with major limitations of treatment options and poor clinical outcomes. This review will focus on the epidemiology of HAP and VAP and will present the roles and the antimicrobial resistance patterns of implicated multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative pathogens like carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA), carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), as well as colistin-resistant Gram-negative pathogens and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales. While emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, perspectives and conclusions are drawn from findings of HAP and VAP caused by MDR Gram-negative bacteria in patients with COVID-19.

Carbapenemase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae Infections in Diabetic and Nondiabetic Hospitalized Patients

BACKGROUND

Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) infection has recently attracted widespread attention due to its limited treatment options and significant morbidity and mortality rates. This study aimed to examine the relationship between risk factors and antimicrobial resistance in individuals with and without diabetes for the development of carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae infections.

METHODS

Between May 2019 and January 2021, a prospective study involving patients with and without diabetes who were infected with K. pneumonia, was carried out in a tertiary care hospital. Six hundred K. pneumoniae isolates were collected from various clinical samples, such as pus/wound samples, urine, respiratory samples, blood, and body fluids. An antimicrobial susceptibility test in K. pneumoniae was performed and compared between diabetics and nondiabetics. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify independent risk factors for K. pneumoniae infections in the diabetic group and nondiabetic group separately. Multiplex PCR was used to detect genes that produce carbapenemase.

RESULTS

A total of 600 patients were infected with K. pneumoniae, with 300 (50%) being diabetic and 300 (50%) being nondiabetic. We found that diabetics had higher antimicrobial resistance to numerous routinely used drugs for infection than the nondiabetic group. In the multivariate analysis of the variables, it was found that immunosuppressive therapy, prior antibiotic use, mechanical ventilation, and urinary catheter use were all significant risk factors influencing the development of K. pneumoniae infections in diabetic patients. Diabetics had a higher prevalence of carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae than nondiabetics. Outcome measures in K. pneumoniae patients revealed that the diabetic group had considerably higher infection-related mortality.

CONCLUSION

We found that CRKP infection was associated with higher resistance to antibiotics in the diabetic group. Furthermore, the diabetic group had a higher prevalence of carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae than the nondiabetic group. Crucially, in order to lower mortality without worsening antibiotic resistance and metabolic damage, more focus has to be placed on sensible and efficient antibiotic and supportive care therapies.

Carbapenem-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacilli Causing Ventilator Associated Pneumonia: Study of MASTDISCS Combi Carba Plus for Detection of Carbapenemase Producing Enterobacterales

Background

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria has been proven to be an escalating public health challenge in Egypt owing to its high mortality rate and raised health care costs.

Purpose

Detection of carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacilli among VAP patients, genotypic identification of carbapenemase genes in the isolated strains with evaluation of their impact on patient outcome and detection of carbapenemase-producing enterobacterales by MASTDISCS combi Carba plus disc system.

Methods

Broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and endotracheal aspirate were collected aseptically from clinically suspected VAP patients. Pathogen identification and antibiotic sensitivity testing were done. Carbapenemase-encoding genes (bla_KPC, bla_NDM, and bla_OXA-48) were tested by PCR in all carbapenem-resistant gram-negative isolates. Performance of MASTDISCS combi Carba plus in isolated Enterobacterales was assessed in relation to the PCR results.

Results

Eighty-three carbapenem-resistant gram-negative isolates were detected. The most frequent pathogens were Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa representing 34.9%, 20.5% and 18.1%, respectively. bla_KPC was the predominant gene. Patients with persistent mechanical ventilation less than 15 days and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection were significantly associated with a higher death rate. MAST-Carba plus had the highest sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for detecting OXA-48 carbapenemases representing 81.8%, 92.5%, 75% and 94.9%, respectively.

Conclusion

Worse outcome in VAP patients was associated with carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacilli. MASTDISCS combi Carba plus is an efficient simple method for identification of different carbapenemases among enterobacterales.

Nutritional Status Disorders and Selected Risk Factors of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP) in Patients Treated in the Intensive Care Ward-A Retrospective Study

Introduction: The development of pneumonia in patients treated in intensive care wards is influenced by numerous factors resulting from the primary health condition and co-morbidities. The aim of this study is the determination of the correlation between nutritional status disorders and selected risk factors (type of injury, epidemiological factors, mortality risk, inflammation parameters, age, and gender) and the time of pneumonia occurrence in patients mechanically ventilated in intensive care wards. Material and method: The study included 121 patients with injuries treated in the intensive care ward who had been diagnosed with pneumonia related to mechanical ventilation. The data were collected using the method of retrospective analysis of patients’ medical records available in the electronic system. Results: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) occurred more frequently in patients over 61 years of age (40.4%), men (67.8%), after multiple-organ injury (45.5%), and those with a lower albumin level (86%), higher CRP values (83.5%), and leukocytes (68.6%). The risk of under-nutrition assessed with the NRS-2002 system was confirmed in the whole study group. The statistical analysis demonstrated a correlation between the leukocytes level (p = 0.012) and epidemiological factors (p = 0.035) and the VAP contraction time. Patients infected with Staphylococcus aureus had 4% of odds for the development of late VAP in comparison to Acinetobacter baumannii (p < 0.001), whereas patients infected by any other bacteria or fungi had about four times lower odds of the development of late VAP in comparison to Acinetobacter baumannii (p = 0.02). Patients with results in APACHE from 20 to 24 and from 25 to 29 had 13% and 21%, respectively, odds of the development of late VAP in comparison to patients with APACHE II scores ranging from 10 to 19 (respectively, p = 0.006; p = 0.028). Conclusions: The development of VAP is impacted by many factors, the monitoring of which has to be included in prophylactics and treatment.

Sex Differences in Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: Retrospective Cohort Study using Hospital Discharge Data in Spain (2016-2019)

(1) Background: To analyze the incidence, clinical characteristics, use of procedures, and in-hospital outcomes in patients who developed pneumonia during their hospital admission according to sex and to the presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). (2) Methods: Retrospective cohort study using data from the Spanish National Hospital Discharge Database. Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) was classed as non-ventilator HAP and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Separate analyses were performed for men and women with and without T2DM. Population subgroups were compared using propensity score matching. (3) Results: HAP was identified in 38,814 patients (24.07% with T2DM). The adjusted incidence of HAP was higher in patients with T2DM (both sexes) (IRR 1.28; 95% CI 1.25–1.31). The incidence of HAP was higher in men with T2DM than in women with T2DM (adjusted-IR 1.47; 95% CI 1.41–1.53). The incidence of HAP among T2DM patients increased over time. In-hospital mortality (IHM) was around 28% irrespective of T2DM status and sex. After adjusting for confounders and sex, VAP was associated to higher IHM among patients with T2DM (OR 2.09; 95% CI 1.7–2.57). (4) Conclusions: T2DM is associated with a higher risk of HAP, whose incidence increased over time. Men with T2DM have an almost 50% higher risk of HAP than women with T2DM. The probability of dying in the hospital was not associated with sex or T2DM.

The incidence and characteristics of ventilator-associated pneumonia in a regional nontertiary Australian intensive care unit: A retrospective clinical audit study

BACKGROUND

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a common complication of mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit. The incidence, patient characteristics, and outcomes have not been described in a regional Australian setting.

OBJECTIVES

Τhe primary objective was to establish the incidence of VAP in a regional intensive care unit using predetermined diagnostic criteria. The secondary objective was to compare the agreement between criteria-based and physician-based diagnostic processes. The tertiary objectives were to compare patient characteristics and clinical outcomes of cases with and without VAP.

METHODS

A retrospective clinical audit was performed of adult patients admitted to Rockhampton Intensive Care Unit, Australia, between 2013 and 2016. We included all patients ventilated for ≥72 h and not diagnosed with a pneumonia before or during the first 72 h of ventilation.

RESULTS

A total of 170 cases met the inclusion criteria. The incidence of VAP as per the criteria-based diagnosis was 27.3 cases per 1000 ventilator days (95% confidence interval [CI]: 18.4-36.2) and as per the physician-based diagnosis was 25.8 cases per 1000 ventilator days (95% CI: 17.1-34.4). There was a moderate chance-corrected agreement between the criteria- and physician-based diagnosis. Very obese cases (body mass index [BMI] ≥40) were nearly four times more likely to develop VAP than cases with normal BMI (BMI <30) (odds ratio: 3.664; 95% CI: 1.394-9.634; p = 0.008). After controlling for sex, BMI category, comorbidities, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores, there was a trend (p = 0.283) for higher adjusted mortality rate for cases with VAP (10.1%, 95% CI: 4.8-21.5) than for those without VAP (6.1%, 95% CI: 3.0-12.4). Cases with VAP had a higher total hospital cost ($123,223 AUD vs $66,425 AUD, p < 0.001), than cases without VAP.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study reporting incidence of VAP in an Australian regional intensive care unit setting. An increased length of stay and significantly higher hospital costs warrant research investigating reliable and valid clinical prediction rules to forecast those at risk of VAP.

Incidence and outcomes of hospitalization for community-acquired, ventilator-associated and non-ventilator hospital-acquired pneumonias in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Spain

INTRODUCTION

To describe the incidence and compare in-hospital outcomes of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and non-ventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia (NV-HAP) among patients with or without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using propensity score matching.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This was a retrospective observational epidemiological study using the 2016-2017 Spanish Hospital Discharge Records.

RESULTS

Of 245 221 admissions, CAP was identified in 227 524 (27.67% with T2DM), VAP was identified in 2752 (18.31% with T2DM) and NV-HAP was identified in 14 945 (25.75% with T2DM). The incidence of pneumonia was higher among patients with T2DM (CAP: incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.44, 95% CI 1.42 to 1.45; VAP: IRR 1.24, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.37 and NV-HAP: IRR 1.38, 95% CI 1.33 to 1.44). In-hospital mortality (IHM) for CAP was 12.74% in patients with T2DM and 14.16% in matched controls (p<0.001); in patients with VAP and NV-HAP, IHM was not significantly different between those with and without T2DM (43.65% vs 41.87%, p=0.567, and 29.02% vs 29.75%, p=0.484, respectively). Among patients with T2DM, older age and dialysis were factors associated with IHM for all types of pneumonia. In patients with VAP, the risk of IHM was higher in females (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.28 to 2.96).

CONCLUSION

The incidence rates of all types of pneumonia were higher in patients with T2DM. Higher mortality rates in patients with T2DM with any type of pneumonia were associated with older age, comorbidities and dialysis.

Risk Factors of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Critically III Patients

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), a hospital acquired pneumonia that occurs more than 48 h after mechanical ventilation, is a common complication of mechanical ventilation with a high mortality rate. VAP can cause patients to have difficulty weaning off the ventilator and to stay in the hospital longer, which results in a huge financial burden to patients and a huge demand for medical resources. Several strategies, such as drugs including chlorhexidine, β-lactam antibiotics and probiotics, have been used to prevent VAP in clinic. The incidence and the mortality rate of VAP have been decreased with the development of preventative strategies in the past decades, but VAP remains one of the most common causes of nosocomial infections and death in the intensive care unit. Current challenges in the management of VAP involved the lack of a gold standard for diagnosis, the absence of effective preventative strategies, and the rise in antibiotic resistance. Therefore, in order to reduce the incidence of VAP and improve the outcome of patients with mechanical ventilation, it is necessary to clarify the risk factors of VAP for clinical prevention and control of VAP. This paper reviews the international risk factors of VAP occurrence reported in recent years, including patient characteristics, increased mechanical ventilation time and prolonged length of hospital stay, disorders of consciousness, burns, comorbidities, prior antibiotic therapy, invasive operations, gene polymorphisms, and mentions the corresponding preventive measures. Each factor is not only an independent risk factor of VAP, but also has an influence on each other. A better understanding of risk factors for VAP is helpful for predicting the occurrence of VAP, improving the prevention and control of VAP, and reducing the morbidity and mortality rates of patients with VAP.

Antimicrobial resistance and risk factors for mortality of pneumonia caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae among diabetics: a retrospective study conducted in Shanghai, China

Purpose: To investigate antimicrobial resistance and risk factors for mortality of Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) pneumonia in diabetics and nondiabetics. Patients and methods: A retrospective study was conducted among inpatients of KP pneumonia via electronic medical records in a territory hospital between January 2016 and June 2018. Antimicrobial resistance in KP pneumonia was compared between diabetics and nondiabetics. Independent risk factors for mortality in KP pneumonia were identified by univariate and multivariate logistic regression among diabetics and nondiabetics separately. Results: In this study, 456 patients with KP pneumonia were included. There were 156 cases with diabetes and 300 without diabetes. KP showed a lower antimicrobial resistance to a multitude of antimicrobials in pneumonia among diabetics than nondiabetics, namely aztreonam, cefotetan, sulperazone, meropenem, amikacin, tobramycin, sulfamethoxazole, and fosfomycin. In addition, carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) was more prevalent among nondiabetics than diabetics who were admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) (63.0% vs 45.1%, P = 0.038). Multivariable analysis showed that independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality (IHM) in KP pneumonia among diabetics differed from that among nondiabetics as well. Independent predictors for IHM of KP pneumonia among diabetics were male (OR: 5.89, 95% CI: 1.34-25.93, P = 0.019), albumin (ALB) < 35 g/L (OR: 7.00, 95% CI: 2.02-24.28, P = 0.002), bloodstream infection (BSI) (OR: 21.14, 95% CI: 3.18-140.72, P = 0.002), and invasive ventilation during hospitalization (OR: 8.00, 95% CI: 2.99-21.42, P < 0.001). In nondiabetics, independent predictors were higher CURB-65 score (OR: 1.92, 95% CI: 1.29-2.86, P = 0.001), CRKP (OR: 2.72, 95% CI: 1.07-6.90, P = 0.035), BSI (OR: 4.98, 95% CI: 1.34-18.50, P = 0.017), and ICU admission (OR: 4.06, 95% CI: 1.57-10.47, P = 0.004). Conclusion: In KP pneumonia, diabetics showed lower antimicrobial resistance and different independent risk factors for mortality compared with nondiabetics, in line with previous studies. Importantly, further attention should be paid on rational and effective antibiotic and supportive treatments in order to reduce mortality without aggravating antimicrobial resistance and metabolic damage among diabetics.

Type 2 diabetes and postoperative pneumonia: An observational, population-based study using the Spanish Hospital Discharge Database, 2001-2015

Purpose

We analyzed temporal trends, demographic and clinical characteristics and hospital mortality rates of postoperative pneumonia among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in Spain from 2001 to 2015. We also compared the incidence, comorbidities and mortality between patients with and without T2DM suffering from postoperative pneumonia. Finally, we analyzed the factors involved in the prediction of in-hospital mortality among patients suffering postoperative pneumonia.

Methods

We used the Spanish National Hospital Discharge Database for the period 2001–2015. We analyzed patients aged 40 years or over who had been hospitalized for a surgical procedure and suffered pneumonia or ventilator-associated pneumonia during their hospital admission. We compared patients with and without T2DM. The main outcome measures were the type of surgical procedure, the presence of a comorbidity, the type of isolated pathogens, admission to the emergency room (ER) and in-hospital mortality (IHM).

Results

We selected 117,665 hospitalized patients who suffered postoperative pneumonia (16.9% with T2DM). After multivariable adjustment, T2DM patients had a 21% higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia than nondiabetic patients (IRR 1.21, 95% CI 1.03–1.42). The IHM was approximately 31% in both groups. Predictors of IHM included age, the presence of comorbidities, treatment with a pleural drainage tube, dialysis, blood transfusion, mechanical ventilation and admission to the ER. From 2001 to 2015, the IHM decreased significantly in both populations. Suffering from T2DM was not a predictor of IHM (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.96–1.03) in our investigation.

Conclusions

T2DM patients have a higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia than those without this disease. The IHM decreased from 2001 to 2015, regardless of T2DM status. T2DM did not predict a higher IHM after suffering from postoperative pneumonia.

Decreasing incidence and mortality among hospitalized patients suffering a ventilator-associated pneumonia: Analysis of the Spanish national hospital discharge database from 2010 to 2014

The aim of this study was to describe trends in the incidence and outcomes of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) among hospitalized patients in Spain (2010-2014).This is a retrospective study using the Spanish national hospital discharge database from year 2010 to 2014. We selected all hospital admissions that had an ICD-9-CM code: 997.31 for VAP in any diagnosis position. We analyzed incidence, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, procedures, pathogen isolations, and hospital outcomes.We identified 9336 admissions with patients suffering a VAP. Incidence rates of VAP decreased significantly over time (from 41.7 cases/100,000 inhabitants in 2010 to 40.55 in 2014). The mean Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) was 1.08 ± 0.98 and it did not change significantly during the study period. The most frequent causative agent was Pseudomonas and there were not significant differences in the isolation of this microorganism over time. Time trend analyses showed a significant decrease in in-hospital mortality (IHM), from 35.74% in 2010 to 32.81% in 2014. Factor associated with higher IHM included male sex, older age, higher CCI, vein or artery occlusion, pulmonary disease, cancer, undergone surgery, emergency room admission, and readmission.This study shows that the incidence of VAP among hospitalized patients has decreased in Spain from 2010 to 2014. The IHM has also decreased over the study period. Further investigations are needed to improve the prevention and control of VAP.