Trimetoprim-sulfametoxazole in ventilator-associated pneumonia: a cohort study.

To evaluate the effectiveness of trimetoprim-sulfametoxazole (TMP-SMX) for treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). A retrospective cohort study including patients with VAP from 2011 to 2017. Two groups were analysed: TMP-SMX group, including patients who had received TMP-SMX (as first-line and as de-escalation), and No-TMP-SMX group, including patients who had not received TMP-SMX treatment. Primary clinical outcome was mortality at 30 days from starting the antibiotic treatment (T30). Secondary outcomes were mortality at end of treatment (EoT), day survival at T30, and acquisition of multidrug-resistant bacteria during hospitalization in intensive care unit. Eighty cases of VAP were included and devised into two groups: No-TMP-SMX (31/80; 39%) and TMP-SMX (49/80; 61%). Univariate analysis showed no significant differences were found when the TMP-SMX group was compared with the No-TMP-SMX group, except for frequency of male gender (p = 0.025). No significant statistical correlations between mortality at T30 and individual factors were detected by the multivariate model. No cases of either severe allergy or Clostridium difficile disease were reported in the TMP-SMX and No-TMP-SMX groups. TMP-SMX treatment was not associated with higher mortality at EoT and T30 in comparison with the No-TMP-SMX group. TMP-SMX had a good safety profile, in terms of ecology (acquisition of MDR bacteria and Clostridium difficile disease) and clinical management (no allergy events).

Efficiency of goal-directed oxygen delivery in ICU patients.

BACKGROUND: Current clinical practice guidelines promote a goal-directed approach for oxygen delivery with respect to SpO2 objectives. We evaluated the efficiency of a strategy based on goal-directed O2 delivery in the ICU. METHODS: A group of 30 patients (Group 1) with a proven history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease suffering from acute hypercarbic exacerbation was compared to 2 other groups of patients admitted for acute respiratory failure with no history of pulmonary disease: 30 patients requiring oxygen supply and/or non-invasive ventilation (Group 2) and 30 requiring invasive ventilation (Group 3). The delivery of oxygen was based on SpO2 measurement: 88-94% for Group 1 and 90-96% for others. The time spent with an SpO2 below, within and above the prescribed limits was collected. RESULTS: The mean time spent within the prescribed range was for Groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively as follows: 61.9% [60.5-63.2], 63.7% [62.3-65] and 56.4% [55.3-57.6] (P < 0.001 for each group). A history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was not correlated with better results (P = 0.11), while invasive ventilation was related to the time spent out of the prescribed range (P < 0.001; OR 1.3 [1.22-1.28]) especially in hyperoxaemia (40.7% [39.6-41.8] P < 0.001). Efficiency seems unrelated to nursing workload or night team exhaustion (r = -0.09, P = 0.77). CONCLUSIONS: Goal-directed oxygen delivery based on SpO2 objectives in ICU patients ensures that in only approximately 64% of the time, SpO2 stays within the prescribed range.