Background: Acinetobacter baumannii is a leading cause of ventilator-associated pneumonia, often as a result of ventilator equipment contamination. Evidence-based guidance on optimal care of ventilator equipment to prevent infection is lacking. Here, we report on a significant and persistent reduction in A baumannii infection rates achieved by introducing a strict policy on ventilator care.
Methods: We implemented an institution-wide ventilator care policy that included routine exchange of breathing circuits and external bacterial filters (every 7-14 days) and replacement followed by routine sterilization of internal bacterial filters (every 4-8 weeks). We analyzed sputum cultures and patient outcomes among ventilated patients before and after the intervention.
Results: Between January 2012 and March 2013, 321 patients ventilated for more than 3 days comprised the study cohort. Health care-associated A baumannii acquisition was significantly reduced during the postintervention period (33% vs 16%; odds ratio, 0.39; 95% confidence interval, 0.23-0.67; P = .0008). Additionally, the median time to A baumannii acquisition was significantly longer postintervention (59 vs 21 days; P < .0001). A baumannii ventilator-associated pneumonia risk was also reduced postintervention (odds ratio, 0.39; P = .005).
Conclusions: Implementing a stricter standard of ventilator care than that currently defined in published guidelines can significantly decrease health care-associated A baumannii acquisition and related adverse outcomes among ventilated patients.
Keywords: Bacterial filter; Respirator equipment care; Ventilator-associated pneumonia.
Copyright © 2014 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.