PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Alejandro Raimondi
AU  - Ignacio Jorge Bledel
AU  - Ariel Sosa
AU  - Sergio Sarquis
AU  - Celica Irrazabal
AU  - Abelardo Capdevila
AU  - Carlos Vay
AU  - Angela Famiglietti
AU  - Carlos M. Luna
TI  - Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) pathogenic microorganisms eradication and persistence during antimicrobial therapy
DP  - 2013 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - 5048
VI  - 42
IP  - Suppl 57
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/5048.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/5048.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2013 Sep 01; 42
AB  - Introduction:There exist few data about the eradication rate of endotracheal colonization during the therapy for VAP.Aims:We evaluated eradication by ETA cultures in a cohort of patients with microbiologically confirmed VAP.Methods:VAP was diagnosed in those mechanically ventilated patients for ≥ 48 h who developed clinical criteria plus a BAL culture grew ≥ 104 colony forming units (cfu) of any pathogenic microorganism. Colonization was studied by bi-weekly endotracheal aspirate (ETA) quantitative cultures.Results:68 episodes of VAP had performed at least one follow-up ETA culture. The VAP pathogens and those newly acquired during the therapy are displayed in table 1.View this table:VAP pathogens and those newly acquired during the therapyThe rate of eradication and the rate of newly acquired colonization is displayed in figure 1.Pathogens persisted during 6.7 days for P. aeruginosa, 6.5 days Acinetobacter spp, 2.4 days S. aureus and 4.0 days other pathogens.Conclusions:Endotracheal colonization persisted despite appropriate therapy; acquired colonization appeared after the second follow up culture and could precede a recurrent VAP episode.