Modifiable risk factors of ventilator-associated pneumonia in non-intensive care unit versus intensive care unit

Introduction: Ventilator-associated pneumonia patients are treated in non-intensive care units because of a shortage of intensive care unit beds in Thailand. Our objective was to assess whether the type of unit and medications prescribed to the patient were associated with ventilator-associated pneumonia and multidrug resistant ventilator-associated pneumonia. Methodology: A matched case-control study nested in a prospective cohort of mechanical ventilation adult patients in a medical-surgical intensive care unit and five non-intensive care units from March 1 through October 31, 2013. The controls were randomly selected 1:1 with cases and matched based on duration and start date of mechanical ventilation. Results: 248 ventilator-associated pneumonia and control patients were analyzed. The most common bacteria were multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (82.4%). Compared with patients in the intensive care unit, those in the neurosurgical/surgical non-intensive care units were at higher risk (p = 0.278). Proton pump inhibitor was a risk factor (p = 0.011), but antibiotic was a protective factor (p = 0.054). Broad spectrum antibiotic was a risk factor (p < 0.001) for multidrug resistant ventilator-associated pneumonia. Conclusions: Post-surgical and neurosurgical patients treated in non-intensive care unit settings were at the highest risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Our findings suggest that alternative using proton pump inhibitors should be considered based on the risk-benefit of using this medication. In addition, careful stewardship of antibiotic use should be warranted to prevent multidrug resistant ventilator-associated pneumonia.