Risk Factors of Pneumonia Associated with Mechanical Ventilation

Maria Kózka, Aurelia Sega, Katarzyna Wojnar-Gruszka, Agnieszka Tarnawska and Agnieszka Gniadek
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Maria Kózka: Department of Clinical Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum in Krakow, 31-501 Kraków, Poland
Aurelia Sega: Department of Clinical Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum in Krakow, 31-501 Kraków, Poland
Katarzyna Wojnar-Gruszka: Department of Clinical Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum in Krakow, 31-501 Kraków, Poland
Agnieszka Tarnawska: University Hospital in Krakow, 31-001 Kraków, Poland
Agnieszka Gniadek: Department of Epidemiological Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum in Krakow, 31-501 Kraków, Poland

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 2, 1-7

Abstract: Background: The hospitalization of patients treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) in 5–15% of cases is associated with the occurrence of a complication in the form of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Purpose: Retrospective assessment of risk factors of VAP in patients treated at ICUs in the University Hospital in Krakow. Methods: The research involved the medical documentation of 1872 patients treated at the ICU of the University Hospital in Krakow between 2014 and 2017. The patients were mechanically ventilated for at least 48 h. The obtained data were presented by qualitative and quantitative analysis (%). The qualitative variables were compared using the Chi 2 test. Statistically significant was the p < 0.05 value. Results: VAP was demonstrated in 23% of all patients treated in ICU during the analyzed period, and this infection occurred in 13% of men and 10% of women. Pneumonia associated with ventilation was found primarily in patients staying in the ward for over 15 days and subjected to intratracheal intubation (17%). A statistically significant was found between VAP and co-morbidities, e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, alcoholism, obesity, the occurrence of VAP and multi-organ trauma, hemorrhage/hemorrhagic shock, and fractures as the reasons for admitting ICU patients. Conclusions: Patients with comorbidities such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, obesity, diabetes, and alcoholism are a high-risk group for VAP. Particular attention should be paid to patients admitted to the ICU with multi-organ trauma, fractures, and hemorrhage/hemorrhagic shock as patients predisposed to VAP. There is a need for further research into risk factors for non-modifiable VAP such as comorbidities and reasons for ICU admission in order to allow closer monitoring of these patients for VAP.

Keywords: VAP; risk factors; intensive care unit; coexisting diseases (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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