European Task Force(ETF), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Canadian Critical Care Society (CCCS) and American Thoracic Society and Infectious Diseases Society of America (ATS-IDSA) recommendations regarding nonpharmacological measures for ventilator-associated pneumonia
| ETF | CDC | CCCS | ATS-IDSA | |
| [Ref.] | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Publication yr | 2001 | 2004 | 2004 | 2005 |
| Oral intubation better than nasal | Not controversial | IB | Recommended | II |
| Optimal pressure of endotracheal tube cuff | Not controversial | NR | NR | II |
| Subglottic secretion drainage | Still controversial | II | Considered | I |
| Early extubation | NR | IB | NR | II |
| Avoid re-intubation | Not controversial | II | NR | I |
| Noninvasive ventilation | Still controversial | II | NR | I |
| Tracheostomy: early better than late | NR | NR | Insufficient evidence | NR |
| Respiratory filters | NR | Unresolved | NR | NR |
| Routine change of ventilator circuits | NO: Not controversial | NO: IA in HME/II in HH | NO | NO |
| HME better than HH | Still controversial | Unresolved | Recommended | I: is the same |
| Tracheal suctioning system: closed better than open | Still controversial | Unresolved | NR | NR |
| Routine change of closed tracheal suctioning system | Still controversial | Unresolved | NO | NR |
| Sterilisation or disinfection of respiratory devices | NR | IB | NR | NR |
| Barrier measures | Not controversial | IA | NR | I |
| Kinetic or standard beds | NR | Unresolved | Considered | NR |
| Semirecumbent position (30–45°) | Not controversial | II | Recommended | I |
| Feeding: post-pyloric better than gastric | Still controversial | Unresolved | NR | NR |
HME: heat and moisture exchanger; HH: heated humidifier; IB: the evidence comes from certain clinical or epidemiological studies; II: the evidence comes from well-designed, controlled trials without randomisation; NR: the guideline did not review this issue; I: the evidence is from well-conducted, randomised controlled trials; NO: the recommendation is of no use; IA: the evidence comes from well-designed experimental, clinical or epidemiological studies.