Ventilator-associated pneumonia monitoring according to the INICC project at one centre.

BACKGROUND Pneumonia is a common complication of hospitalisation in severely ill patients who need mechanical ventilation. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium programme for the surveillance of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). METHODS A prospective study (1 Jan 2012-30 June 2014) was conducted in the 20-bed ICU. The device utilisation ratios for lung ventilation and the frequency (density and incidence) and aetiology of VAP were estimated in ICU patients. RESULTS From a total of 1097 patients, VAP infections were diagnosed in 93. Thirty percent of patients with VAP died. The incidence index was 8.47 per 100 admissions to the ICU. VAP infections accounted for 46% of the overall count of device-associated healthcare-associated infections. Mechanical ventilation was used in 71 ± 8 patients during the 11 862 patient days and 8425 ventilation days. The rate of VAP per 1000 ventilator days was 11.15/9.34 /10.23 in years 2012/2013/2014 (half a year), respectively. The main VAP pathogens were Acinetobacter baumannii (45%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (17%). CONCLUSION During the reported time span, the incidence of VAP was lower than in the INICC report (2007-2012), but it was tenfold higher than in the NHSN/CDC report (dated 2012). Because of the unchanged VAP level during the 2.5-year observation period, the root cause needs to be determined and action should be taken to resolve this issue.