Less Is More? Antibiotic Treatment Duration in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

Abstract

Recommended antimicrobial treatment durations for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa have evolved over the past few decades. In this Viewpoint, we provide a narrative review of landmark trials investigating antimicrobial treatment durations for VAP caused by P. aeruginosa, and appraise iterations of expert consensus guidelines based on these data. We highlight strengths and weaknesses of existing data on this topic and provide recommendations for future avenues of study.

Keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa; hospital-acquired pneumonia; non-fermenting gram-negative bacilli; ventilator-associated pneumonia.