ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate preventive effect of semireclining and alternately lateral recumbent position on ventilator associated pneumonia.Method Fifty-fiv patients requiring mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours were randomly divided into two groups 28 in semireclining with ahemately lateral recumbent position group and 27 in only semireclining group.Chest physiotherapy was carried out simultaneously in two groups.The secretion in lower respiratory tract was regularly cullected for quantitative cultures of microbiology.Results There were no significant differences between groups on gender,age,Acute Physiology and Chronic Health EvaluationⅡscore,risk factors for VAP.VAP occurred in 6 of 28 patients in the semireclining and alternately lateral recumbent position group and in 11 of 27 in the semireclining group (P0.05).Conclusions Semi-reclining with alternately lateral recumbent position can reduce aspiration and postural drainage that can decrease VAP rate and shorten duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay.