Prevalencia y factores asociados a neumonía nosocomial en la unidad de cuidado intensivo

Introducción. La neumonía nosocomial o neumonía adquirida en el hospital, es una causa importante de infección intrahospitalaria que conlleva una alta morbimortalidad. Ocurre a una tasa de 5 a 10 por cada 1,000 ingresos hospitalarios y se considera la causa más común de infección intrahospitalaria en Europa y Estados Unidos. Más del 90% de los episodios de neumonía que se desarrollan en las unidades de cuidados intensivos (UCI) ocurren en pacientes ventilados. El objetivo del presente estudio es describir la prevalencia y los factores asociados como estancia hospitalaria en UCI, enfermedades concomitantes y situaciones en pacientes mayores de 18 años con neumonía nosocomial con estancia en unidad de cuidados intensivos en una clínica de tercer nivel de la ciudad de Cali, en el periodo enero 2015 y enero 2016. Metodología. Estudio observacional de corte transversal con componente analítico. Se revisaron 353 historias clínicas enfocadas en los factores asociados de neumonía nosocomial en la UCI, con una estancia mayor o igual a 48 horas. El análisis estadístico se realizó con Epi Info versión 7. Resultados. La edad promedio de los casos estudiados fue de 55.17 años. La prevalencia estimada para neumonía nosocomial fue de 26%, con un promedio de estancia en UCI de 9.94 días, una desviación estándar de 8.30 días y días de ventilación mecánica invasiva de 4.27, con una desviación estándar de 7.38 días, en la cual el 26.35% (IC 95%: 22.0-31.1) adquirió neumonía nosocomial en UCI, el 43.06%: (IC 95%: 38.0-48.2) fueron mujeres, requiriendo de ventilación mecánica invasiva el 37.68% (IC 95%: 32.7-42.8). Como antecedentes patológicos de importancia se observó una asociación entre las variables con respecto a la neumonía nosocomial evidenciándose una relación significativa con diabetes mellitus (OR: 25.6; IC: 95% 13.4-48.7), enfermedad renal crónica (OR: 8.4; IC 95%: 4.49-16.0), enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (OR: 22.2; IC 95% 11.7-42.1), antecedente patológico de sinusitis (OR: 30.9; IC 95%: 7-46.2), utilización de sonda nasogástrica (OR: 13; IC 95%: 5-32) y, finalmente, al correlacionar la mortalidad con este tipo de infección pulmonar (OR: 26.1; IC 95%: 13-49.1), evidenciando una relación entre las variables. Discusión. Los hallazgos muestran alta frecuencia de esta patología, lo que conlleva múltiples implicaciones en los pacientes como estancia prolongada y mortalidad, las cuales son condiciones que han sido identificadas por diferentes autores. Conclusiones. La neumonía nosocomial es un proceso infeccioso frecuente en la UCI, que tiene una alta morbimortalidad, relacionándose con los días de estancia y ventilación mecánica invasiva. 

Do we need biomarkers for the follow-up and shortening of antibiotic treatment duration?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Clinical and laboratory parameters are useful tools for the diagnosis, follow-up and evaluation of resolution, and to predict outcomes when measured at different time-points onset and serially during follow-up in patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia and/or ventilator-associated pneumonia (HAP/VAP).

RECENT FINDINGS

Both, the 2017 ERS/ESICM/ESCMID/Asociación Latino Americana de Tórax (EEEAG) and the 2016 IDSA/ATS guidelines (IAG) for the management of HAP/VAP recommend using clinical criteria alone, rather than biomarkers for diagnosis. Several studies were conducted to assess the value of serum biomarker concentration and kinetics for predicting the outcome in HAP/VAP, including C-reactive protein and procalcitonin (PCT). Although the EEEAG do not recommend routinely performing biomarker determinations in addition to bedside clinical assessment in patients receiving antibiotic treatment for VAP or HAP to predict adverse outcomes and clinical response, the IAG recommend that routine bedside clinical assessment should be accompanied by measurements of PCT to guide antimicrobial therapy. Additionally, the 2016 Surviving Sepsis Campaign also suggests that PCT levels can be used to support the shortening of antibiotic therapy.

SUMMARY

Current evidence indicate that there is no recommendation to use biomarkers systematically to guide every decision. However, in some circumstances they might add some relevant information to our everyday practice.

[Prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia: a comparison of level of knowledge in three critical care units]

OBJECTIVE

To determine the level of knowledge of the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia guidelines of nurses working in three intensive care units (ICU) in 3 university hospitals in a Spanish region, and evaluate the relationship between this level of knowledge and years worked in the ICU.

METHOD

A descriptive, prospective, cross-sectional, multicentre study was conducted using a validated and reliable questionnaire, made up by 9 questions with closed answers drawn from the EVIDENCE study. A total of 98 questionnaires were collected from ICU nurses of the three university hospitals (A, B, and C) from January to April 2014. The sample from hospital A responded the most, in contrast with the sample from hospital B, which was the one with the less participation. The Pearson correlation was calculated in order to determine the relationship between nurse years worked in ICU and level of knowledge.

RESULTS

Hospital A obtained in the best mean score in the questionnaire, 6.33 (SD 1.4) points, followed by hospital C with 6.21 (SD 1.4), and finally, the hospital B with 6.06 (SD 1.5) points. A p=.08 was obtained on relating years worked with the level of knowledge.

CONCLUSION

The results showed a high level of knowledge compared other studies. There was a tendency between the years worked in the unit and the level of knowledge in ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention.

Management of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Staphylococcus aureus, and particularly methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become an increasingly important etiology of pneumonia, both in healthcare and community settings. Associated with highest morbidity, mortality and costs in public health, it represents a major challenge for the management of this group of patients.

RECENT FINDINGS

MRSA is one of the most common pathogens of ventilator associated pneumonia, whereas its estimated incidence for hospital acquired pneumonia, healthcare associated pneumonia and community acquired pneumonia has risen in the past decades. Although vancomycin at standard doses remains as the mainstay for its treatment, the increasing rate of treatment failure has prompted other strategies of use (more frequent administration, continuous infusion, combination therapy), and the use of newer antimicrobials, particularly linezolid, with pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles which produce promisingly improved clinical results.

SUMMARY

Overall, MRSA is an important cause of pneumonia; optimal management strategies for improving morbidity and mortality are still under development.

[Will we still have antibiotics tomorrow?]

Since the discovery of antibiotics, it has been generally believed that these antimicrobials are capable of curing almost all bacterial infections. More recently, the appearance of increasing resistance to antibiotics and the emergence of multiresistant microorganisms have given rise to growing concern among physicians, and that concern has now started to filter through to society in general. The problem is further aggravated by a situation that not many people are currently aware of, that is, the limited prospects for future development of new antibiotics in the short to medium term. Appropriate use of available antibiotics based on a thorough understanding of their in vivo activity and the emergence of new forms of administration, such as inhalers, may help to alleviate the problem.

[Pneumonia awareness year, 2004: scientific impact through publications in Archivos de Bronconeumología]

Pneumonia is a common and potentially serious infectious disease. Morbidity and mortality rates continue to be high in spite of major advances and steady progress in diagnosis and treatment. The economic impact of the disease is also great. It is therefore necessary to enlist the public, primary care and emergency physicians, and public policy administrators to join forces to treat and prevent pneumonia for the common good. The annual incidence of pneumonia in the population over the age of 14 years is 1.6 to 2.6 episodes/1000 inhabitants. The mortality rate is 14.1 per 100,000 inhabitants, and the associated costs are 115 million euros annually. The RESPIRA Foundation and the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) declared 2004 to be pneumonia awareness year with the aim of coordinating efforts to raise awareness, distribute information, and foster debate.