Outcomes associated with ventilator-associated events (VAE), respiratory infections (VARI), pneumonia (VAP) and tracheobronchitis (VAT) in ventilated pediatric ICU patients: A multicentre prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: An objective categorization of respiratory infections based on outcomes is an unmet clinical need. Ventilator-associated pneumonia and tracheobronchitis remain used in clinical practice, whereas ventilator-associated events (VAE) are limited to surveillance purposes. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY/DESIGN: This was a secondary analysis from a multicentre observational prospective cohort study. VAE were defined as a sustained increase in minimum Oxygen inspired fraction (FiO2) and/or Positive end-expiratory pressures (PEEP) of ≥ 0.2/2 cm H2O respectively, or an increase of 0.15 FiO2 + 1 cm H20 positive end-expiratory pressures for ≥ 1 calendar-day. SETTING: 15 Paediatric Intensive Care Units. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mechanical ventilation duration, intensive care and hospital length of stay; (LOS) and mortality. RESULTS: A cohort of 391 ventilated children with an age (median, [Interquartile Ranges]) of 1 year[0.2-5.3] and 7 days[5-10] of mechanical ventilation were included. Intensive care and hospital stays were 11 [7-19] and 21 [14-39] days, respectively. Mortality was 5.9 %. Fifty-eight ventilator-associated respiratory infections were documented among 57 patients: Seventeen (29.3 %) qualified as ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and 41 (70.7 %) as ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis (VAT). Eight pneumonias and 16 tracheobronchitis (47 % vs 39 %,P = 0.571) required positive end-expiratory pressure or oxygen increases consistent with ventilator-associated criteria. Pneumonias did not significantly impact on outcomes when compared to tracheobronchitis. In contrast, infections (pneumonia or tracheobronchitis) following VAEs criteria were associated with > 6, 8 and 15 extra-days of ventilation (16 vs 9.5, P = 0.001), intensive care stay (23.5 vs 15; P = 0.004) and hospital stay (39 vs 24; P = 0.015), respectively. CONCLUSION: When assessing ventilated children with respiratory infections, VAE apparently is associated with higher ventilator-dependency and LOS compared with pneumonia or tracheobronchitis. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Incorporating the modification of ventilatory settings for further categorization of the respiratory infections may facilitate therapeutic management among ventilated patients.

Radiation-induced pseudomembranous tracheobronchitis: A report of two cases.

Radiation therapy can cause radiation pneumonitis, organizing pneumonia, and lung fibrosis. Radiation-induced pseudomembranous bronchitis is a rare condition. Here, we describe a rare case each of pseudomembranous tracheobronchitis and pseudomembrane with total bronchial obstruction which developed after thoracic radiotherapy. A 50-year-old man presented paroxysmal severe cough 1 month after concurrent chemoradiotherapy for small-cell lung cancer. Bronchoscopy revealed a whitish membrane in the trachea and bronchus, which were the fields of radiation. Another 60-year-old man complained of dyspnea 7 months after radiation therapy for metastatic lymph node adenocarcinoma. Bronchoscopy demonstrated a membrane with total obstruction of right lower lobar bronchus, which was the area of radiation. The pathological findings of histological examination in both cases demonstrated radiation-induced pseudomembranous tracheobronchitis. Patients in both cases responded well to steroids and the pseudomembrane disappeared. If patients who have received thoracic radiation therapy complain of persistent cough, bronchoscopy may be helpful.

Improving management of ventilator associated tracheitis in a level IV NICU.

BACKGROUND: There are no published guidelines regarding the diagnosis and treatment of ventilator-associated tracheitis (VAT) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). VAT is likely over-diagnosed and over-treated, increasing antibiotic burden and cost. LOCAL PROBLEM: Diagnosis and treatment of VAT were entirely NICU provider dependent. METHODS: Retrospective pre- and post-intervention chart reviews were performed. INTERVENTIONS: A VAT diagnosis and treatment algorithm was created for use in the care of intubated patients without tracheostomies. 3 plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles were used to implement change. RESULTS: Intubated patients treated for VAT with <25 PMNs on Gram stain decreased from 79% to 35% following the quality improvement (QI) initiative. Treatment of VAT with >7 days of antibiotic therapy decreased from 42% to 10%. CONCLUSION: Implementing a QI initiative to improve the diagnosis and treatment of VAT in the NICU decreased the percent of patients treated inappropriately for VAT.

HAP and VAP after Guidelines.

Nosocomial pneumonia is associated with worsened prognosis when diagnosed in intensive care unit (ICU), ranging from 12 to 48% mortality. The incidence rate of ventilation-acquired pneumonia tends to decrease below 15/1,000 intubation-day. Still, international guidelines are heterogeneous about diagnostic criteria because of inaccuracy of available methods. New entities have thus emerged concerning lower respiratory tract infection, namely ventilation-acquired tracheobronchitis (VAT), or ICU-acquired pneumonia (ICUAP), eventually requiring invasive ventilation (v-ICUAP), according to the type of ventilation support. The potential discrepancy with non-invasive methods could finally lead to underdiagnosis in almost two-thirds of non-intubated patients. Delayed diagnostic could explain in part the 2-fold increase in mortality of penumonia when invasive ventilation is initiated. Here we discuss the rationale underlying this new classification.Many situations can lead to misdiagnosis, even more when the invasive mechanical ventilation is initiated. The chest radiography lacks sntivity and specificity for diagnosing pneumonia. The place of chest computed tomography and lung ultrasonography for routine diagnostic of new plumonary infiltrate remain to be evaluated.Microbiological methods used to confirm the diagnostic can be heterogeneous. The development of molecular diagnostic tools may improve the adequacy of antimicrobial therapies of ventilated patients with pneumonia, but we need to further assess its impact in non-ventilated pneumonia.In this review we introduce distinction between hospital-acquired pneumonia according to the localization in the hospital and the oxygenation/ventilation mode. A clarification of definition is the first step to develop more accurate diagnostic strategies and to improve the patients' prognosis.

Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia/Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia and Ventilator-Associated Tracheobronchitis in COVID-19.

Although few studies evaluated the incidence of hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) or ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis in COVID-19 patients, several studies evaluated the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in these patients. Based on the results of a large multicenter European study, VAP incidence is higher in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia (36.1%), as compared with those with influenza pneumonia (22.2%), or no viral infection at intensive care unit (ICU) admission (16.5%). Potential explanation for the high incidence of VAP in COVID-19 patients includes long duration of invasive mechanical ventilation, high incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome, and immune-suppressive treatment. Specific risk factors for VAP, including SARS-CoV-2-related pulmonary lesions, and bacteria-virus interaction in lung microbiota might also play a role in VAP pathogenesis. VAP is associated with increased mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, and ICU length of stay in COVID-19 patients. Further studies should focus on the incidence of HAP especially in ICU non-ventilated patients, better determine the pathophysiology of these infections, and evaluate the accuracy of currently available treatment guidelines in COVID-19 patients.

Tracheobronchitis in children with tracheostomy tubes: Overview of a challenging problem.

Tracheobronchitis is common in children with tracheostomy tubes. These children are predisposed to respiratory infections due to the bypassing of normal upper airway defense mechanisms by the tracheostomy, bacterial colonization of the tracheostomy tube itself, and underlying medical conditions. Diagnosis of bacterial tracheobronchitis is challenging due to the difficulty in differentiating between bacterial colonization and infection, as well as between viral and bacterial etiologies. Difficulty in diagnosis complicates management decisions, and there are currently no consensus guidelines to assist clinicians in the treatment of these patients. Frequent administration of systemic antibiotics causes adverse effects and leads to the emergence of resistant organisms. Topical administration of antibiotics via nebulization or direct instillation may lead to a significantly higher concentration of drug in the upper and lower airways without causing systemic side effects, although therapeutic trials in children with tracheostomy tubes are lacking. Several preventative measures such as regular airway clearance and the use of a speaking valve may mitigate the risk of developing respiratory infections.

Next-Generation Sequencing as an Auxiliary Tool in Pediatric Laryngeal Lymphoma Diagnosis.

Lymphomatous involvement of the larynx is a rare entity. We present a case of atypical laryngotracheitis as the initial manifestation of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a pediatric patient. The diagnosis was aided through the use of microbial cell-free DNA (mcfDNA) testing, which detected the presence of Epstein-Barr virus in the patient's plasma. This enabled the consideration of an Epstein-Barr virus-related lymphoproliferative process, leading to additional workup and the final diagnosis of lymphoma. To our knowledge, this is the first case of mcfDNA testing leading not simply to an infectious organism, but further to a new oncologic diagnosis. Plasma mcfDNA testing has the potential to inform clinical practice beyond classic infectious disease manifestations. In this article, we review both the possible future applications and the areas of further investigation that remain.

The Tricky Trachea: Tracheitis and Mediastinitis Treated With Infliximab and Steroids in a Patient With Ulcerative Colitis.

Pulmonary extra-intestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease are rare, comprising 0.21% to 0.4% of the inflammatory bowel disease population. Common symptoms include cough, chest pain, and dyspnea. Abnormal pulmonary function tests are common in these patients, with restrictive, obstructive, and diffusion capacity defects. CT scanning remains the most sensitive imaging technique to detect abnormalities. Pulmonary manifestations are diverse and include airway, parenchymal, and pleural disease. Large airway disease predominates, particularly bronchiectasis. Upper airway disease is rare but concerning for the development of acute airway compromise. To our knowledge, there are no reports of concurrent mediastinitis with tracheitis in the setting of inflammatory bowel disease. We present a case of a patient with ulcerative proctitis who experienced the development of inflammatory tracheitis and mediastinitis. Her disease responded to systemic steroids and biologic therapy. In addition to our case, we reviewed the literature and provide an approach to pulmonary complications as extra-intestinal manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease.

Usefulness of Sepsis-3 in diagnosing and predicting mortality of ventilator-associated lower respiratory tract infections.

BACKGROUND: Early distinguishing ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis (VAT) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) remains difficult in the daily practice. However, this question appears clinically relevant, as treatments of VAT and VAP currently differ. In this study, we assessed the accuracy of sepsis criteria according to the Sepsis-3 definition in the early distinction between VAT and VAP. METHODS: Retrospective single-center cohort, including all consecutive patients with a diagnosis of VAT (n = 70) or VAP (n = 136), during a 2-year period. Accuracy of sepsis criteria according to Sepsis-3, total SOFA and respiratory SOFA, calculated at time of microbiological sampling were assessed in differentiating VAT from VAP, and in predicting mortality on ICU discharge. RESULTS: Sensitivity and specificity of sepsis criteria were found respectively at 0.4 and 0.91 to distinguish VAT from VAP, and at 0.38 and 0.75 for the prediction of mortality in VA-LRTI. A total SOFA ≥ 6 and a respiratory SOFA ≥ 3 were identified as the best cut-offs for these criteria in differentiating VAT from VAP, with sensitivity and specificity respectively found at 0.63 and 0.69 for total SOFA, and at 0.49 and 0.7 for respiratory SOFA. Additionally, for prediction of mortality, a total SOFA ≥ 7 and a respiratory SOFA = 4 were identified as the best-cut-offs, respectively yielding sensitivity and specificity at 0.56 and 0.61 for total SOFA, and at 0.22 and 0.95 for respiratory SOFA. CONCLUSIONS: Sepsis criteria according to the Sepsis-3 definition show a high specificity but a low sensitivity for the diagnosis of VAP. Our results do not support the use of these criteria for the early diagnosis of VAP in patients with VA-LRTI.

A Curious Case of Croup: Laryngotracheitis Caused by COVID-19.

We describe a case of croup in a 14-month-old boy caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019. The patient presented with classic signs and symptoms consistent with croup. Workup was remarkable for a positive point-of-care test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. This case represents recognition of a new clinical entity caused by coronavirus disease 2019.

Traqueobronquitis necrosante con obstrucción del tubo endotraqueal en pacientes COVID-19 / Necrotizing tracheobronchitis with endotracheal tube obstruction in COVID-19 patients

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Significance of positive tracheal cultures in the 30 days following tracheostomy.

INTRODUCTION: Positive tracheal cultures obtained after tracheostomy are often considered organ/space surgical site infections by the National Surgical Quality Improvement Project. However, the definition of bacterial tracheitis after tracheostomy is not well described. OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship of positive tracheal cultures in the 30 days following pediatric tracheostomy, antibiotic treatment of these cultures, and signs/symptoms of respiratory infection. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed on subjects who underwent tracheostomy from November 2012-September 2017 at a tertiary care pediatric center. The following data was studied: positive tracheal cultures, antibiotic treatment for positive cultures, and other signs/symptoms of infection including fever and elevated white blood cell count. Descriptive data analysis was performed, and relative risk and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to assess independent association when applicable. RESULTS: There were 173 subjects who met study criteria. Median age at tracheostomy was 4.6 months. Fifty-one percent (89/173) of subjects had at least one positive tracheal culture in the 30 days following tracheostomy. Of those subjects, 38% (34/89) had fever, 71% (32/45) had an elevated white blood cell count, 31% (22/72) had consolidation on chest imaging, 61% (54/89) had increased tracheal secretions, 70% (62/89) had increased ventilation requirements, and 60% (53/89) were treated with antibiotics for a diagnosis of tracheitis. There was no meaningful difference when comparing fever, increased white blood cell count, lung consolidation, increased tracheal secretions, or increased ventilation requirements in those with and without a positive tracheal culture or in those with and without antibiotic treatment for a positive culture. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that increased age at time of tracheostomy, more days on the ventilator after tracheostomy, and an increased number of positive cultures in the year after tracheostomy were related to having a positive tracheal culture within 30 days of tracheostomy. CONCLUSION: For post-operative pediatric tracheostomy subjects, there were no meaningful differences when comparing signs/symptoms of infection between those with and without a positive tracheal culture and between those with and without antibiotic treatment for a positive culture.

Afectación traqueobronquial por enfermedad de Crohn / Tracheobronchial Involvement in Crohn's Disease

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Pulmonary Manifestations of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Pulmonary manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease are increasingly recognized in patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Most commonly, incidental abnormalities are noted on chest imaging or pulmonary function tests. Although clinically significant pulmonary disease is less common, it can carry significant morbidity for patients. We review the presenting symptoms, workup, and management for several of the more common forms of inflammatory bowel disease-related pulmonary disease. Increased awareness of the spectrum of extraintestinal inflammatory bowel disease will help providers more readily recognize this phenomenon in their own patients and more comprehensively address the protean sequelae of inflammatory bowel disease.

Lower Respiratory Tract Infection and Short-Term Outcome in Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether ventilator-associated lower respiratory tract infections (VA-LRTIs) are associated with mortality in critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Post hoc analysis of prospective cohort study including mechanically ventilated patients from a multicenter prospective observational study (TAVeM study); VA-LRTI was defined as either ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis (VAT) or ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) based on clinical criteria and microbiological confirmation. Association between intensive care unit (ICU) mortality in patients having ARDS with and without VA-LRTI was assessed through logistic regression controlling for relevant confounders. Association between VA-LRTI and duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay was assessed through competing risk analysis. Contribution of VA-LRTI to a mortality model over time was assessed through sequential random forest models. RESULTS: The cohort included 2960 patients of which 524 fulfilled criteria for ARDS; 21% had VA-LRTI (VAT = 10.3% and VAP = 10.7%). After controlling for illness severity and baseline health status, we could not find an association between VA-LRTI and ICU mortality (odds ratio: 1.07; 95% confidence interval: 0.62-1.83; P = .796); VA-LRTI was also not associated with prolonged ICU length of stay or duration of mechanical ventilation. The relative contribution of VA-LRTI to the random forest mortality model remained constant during time. The attributable VA-LRTI mortality for ARDS was higher than the attributable mortality for VA-LRTI alone. CONCLUSION: After controlling for relevant confounders, we could not find an association between occurrence of VA-LRTI and ICU mortality in patients with ARDS.