TY - JOUR T1 - Effects of antibiotics on protected specimen brush sampling in ventilator-associated pneumonia JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J SP - 944 LP - 951 DO - 10.1183/09031936.02.00239302 VL - 19 IS - 5 AU - E. Prats AU - J. Dorca AU - M. Pujol AU - L. Garcia AU - B. Barreiro AU - R. Verdaguer AU - F. Gudiol AU - F. Manresa Y1 - 2002/05/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/19/5/944.abstract N2 - The effects of antibiotic treatment on the results of protected specimen brushing (PSB) in ventilator-associated pneumonia were prospectively assessed by performing this procedure before antibiotic treatment, and 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after initiation of antibiotic treatment, in 35 ventilated patients who developed pneumonia during mechanical ventilation. The number of micro-organisms isolated, their concentration (colony-forming units (cfu)·mL−1), and the number of cases with a positive PSB (≥103 cfu·mL−1) were evaluated. Within 12 h of the initiation of effective antibiotic treatment a rapid, significant decrease in the numbers of organisms isolated, their individual concentrations and the percentage of positive PSB results were observed. Certain bacterial species (Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzee) appeared to be more vulnerable to antibiotics than others (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumanni). This data confirms that prior antibiotic treatment, even after only a few hours of activity, significantly decreases the sensitivity of protected brush specimen; this effect appears to be particularly marked among the species involved in early ventilator associated pneumonia. This study was supported by a grant awarded by the “Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias de la Seguridad Social” (FIS) No 94/0874. ER -