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This study aimed to explore the molecular epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from patients on mechanical ventilation and the participation of virulence factors in the development of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). A prospective cohort study was conducted on patients under mechanical ventilation, with periodic visits for the collection of tracheal aspirates and clinical data. The S. aureus isolates were analyzed regarding resistance profile, virulence, expression of protein A and alpha-toxin using Western blot, clonal profile using PFGE, sequence type using MLST, and characterization and quantification of phenol-soluble modulins. Among the 270 patients in the study, 51 S. aureus strains were isolated from 47 patients. The incidence density of S. aureus and MRSA VAP was 2.35/1000 and 1.96/1000 ventilator days, respectively; of these, 45% (n = 5) were resistant to oxacillin, with 100% (n = 5) harboring SCCmec types II and IV. The most frequent among the tested virulence factors were icaA, hla, and hld. The clonal profile showed a predominance of sequence types originating from the community. Risk factors for VAP were the presence of solid tumors and the sea gene. In conclusion, patient-related risk factors, together with microbiological factors, are involved in the development of S. aureus VAP, which is caused by the patient's own strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To reduce the incidence density of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), central lineassociated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) in the intensive care unit (ICU) using the Improvement Science method. Methods: This was a single-center retrospective cohort study. A collaborative quality improvement team developed and implemented local changes to HAI-related processes and protocols. Preintervention, intervention, and post-intervention periods were compared. The study was conducted at the Adult ICU of a hospital in southern Brazil. Variables were analyzed using interrupted time series analysis with segmented linear regression, simple correlation, and hypothesis testing. Results: There was a reduction in the incidence density of all infections. VAP was reduced from 27.2% to 7.2% (p < 0.001), CLABSI from 3.0% to 0.9% (p = 0.017), and CAUTI from 8.3% to 1.8% (p < 0.001). The ICU stay was also reduced from 6.7 to 6 days (p = 0.018). Conclusion: There was an improvement in all the evaluated parameters. Ongoing monitoring of related indicators and adherence to implemented measures are essential to sustain improvements. Applying the Improvement Science methodology can reduce the incidence of HAIs in the ICU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify the knowledge of the nursing team before and after the implementation of the pneumonia prevention protocol associated with mechanical ventilation. Methods: Quantitative descriptive study of the quasi-experimental type carried out in the pediatric units of a public university hospital in the northern region of the state of Paraná, in September 2018. The population consisted of nurses and nursing assistants/technicians. An instrument with objective questions was used, so that professionals individually marked before (pre-test) and after (post-test) the intervention. For the implementation of the protocol, the approach was used through an educational workshop. For data analysis, a chi-square test was used after a normality test considering p<0.05. Results: Six (16.7%) nurses and 30 (83.3%) nursing assistants/technicians participated in the workshops, 72.2% work in the area ≥10 years. After the workshops, there was an increase in knowledge regarding general information about pneumonia associated with ventilation, bacterial proliferation in the oral cavity and biofilm formation in the oral cavity. Conclusión: There was no statistical significance in almost all blocks, however it is noteworthy that the professionals' understanding increased with the teaching method, expressive and effective numbers of adherence to knowledge were found after the intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: to describe the perception of the nursing technician regarding their performance in the bundle of prevention of pneumonia associated with mechanical ventilation in an Intensive Care Unit. Methodology: a descriptive, qualitative study conducted with nursing technicians from an Adult Intensive Care Unit in Porto Alegre. Data collection performed through recorded interviews, following a semi-structured script. Data analyzed from the perspective of thematic analysis of Minayo. Results: the participants were 40 nursing technicians. Four categories emerged: a) the role of the Nursing Technician in the bundle for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP); b) items that make up the bundle for the prevention of VAP; c) weaknesses in the implementation of the bundle for the prevention of VAP; and d) continuing education on VAP. Final considerations: participants know the prevention measures, recognize their importance and execute them directly and indirectly. The team uses its own mnemonic to memorize the bundle items. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Oral health impact the overall health of patients in hospital care because they patients are particularly vulnerable to oral infections and may present complications resulting from their medical condition.1,2 Studies have demonstrated an association between oral cavity infections and systemic diseases as well as the worsening of these comorbidities due to imbalanced oral conditions.1-5 The need for dental assessment in hospitals seems to present differences beyond the underlying disease and the treatment the patient is undergoing. These alterations are frequently observed in patients undergoing oncologic therapy such as radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy (CT), especially in the head and neck region.7 A majority of the patients in the present study ( I n i = 184) were receiving oncology treatment or post-treatment follow-up. Prevalence and impact of complications on outcomes in patients hospitalized for oral and oropharyngeal cancer treatment. [Extracted from the article]

The pathophysiology of COVID-19 includes immune-mediated hyperinflammation, which could potentially lead to respiratory failure and death. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is among cytokines that contribute to the inflammatory processes. Lenzilumab, a GM-CSF neutralising monoclonal antibody, was investigated in the LIVE-AIR trial to assess its efficacy and safety in treating COVID-19 beyond available treatments. In LIVE-AIR, a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, hospitalised adult patients with COVID-19 pneumonia not requiring invasive mechanical ventilation were recruited from 29 sites in the USA and Brazil and were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive three intravenous doses of lenzilumab (600 mg per dose) or placebo delivered 8 h apart. All patients received standard supportive care, including the use of remdesivir and corticosteroids. Patients were stratified at randomisation by age and disease severity. The primary endpoint was survival without invasive mechanical ventilation to day 28 in the modified intention-to-treat population (mITT), comprising all randomised participants who received at least one dose of study drug under the documented supervision of the principal investigator or sub-investigator. Adverse events were assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of study drug. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT04351152 , and is completed. Patients were enrolled from May 5, 2020, until Jan 27, 2021. 528 patients were screened, of whom 520 were randomly assigned and included in the intention-to-treat population. 479 of these patients (n=236, lenzilumab; n=243, placebo) were included in the mITT analysis for the primary outcome. Baseline demographics were similar between groups. 311 (65%) participants were males, mean age was 61 (SD 14) years at baseline, and median C-reactive protein concentration was 79 (IQR 41–137) mg/L. Steroids were administered to 449 (94%) patients and remdesivir to 347 (72%) patients; 331 (69%) patients received both treatments. Survival without invasive mechanical ventilation to day 28 was achieved in 198 (84%; 95% CI 79–89) participants in the lenzilumab group and in 190 (78%; 72–83) patients in the placebo group, and the likelihood of survival was greater with lenzilumab than placebo (hazard ratio 1·54; 95% CI 1·02–2·32; p=0·040). 68 (27%) of 255 patients in the lenzilumab group and 84 (33%) of 257 patients in the placebo group experienced at least one adverse event that was at least grade 3 in severity based on CTCAE criteria. The most common treatment-emergent adverse events of grade 3 or higher were related to respiratory disorders (26%) and cardiac disorders (6%) and none led to death. Lenzilumab significantly improved survival without invasive mechanical ventilation in hospitalised patients with COVID-19, with a safety profile similar to that of placebo. The added value of lenzilumab beyond other immunomodulators used to treat COVID-19 alongside steroids remains unknown. Humanigen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe the clinical-epidemiological profile and factors associated with mortality in patients with pneumonia associated with mechanical ventilation in an intensive care unit of a teaching hospital. Methods: Retrospective, documentary and quantitative study, developed in a teaching hospital, located in João Pessoa - Paraíba. Data collection was carried out from September to November 2020, using a systematic questionnaire with a simple random sample of 59 records. Results: Most were female (57.6%), aged 60 years or older (55.9%), had infectious diseases (50.8%) as a medical diagnosis of hospitalization, and had comorbidities (74,6%). The causative microorganism was pseudomonas aeruginosa (30.5%). The length of hospital stay was less than or equal to 30 days (57.6%), the time of mechanical ventilation above 15 days (74.6%) and there was a statistically significant association between age and clinical outcome, as well as length of stay and the outcome. Conclusion: The profile identified both resembles and stands out in some aspects when compared to the consulted literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To analyse the use of polymyxins for the treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) at a teaching hospital where carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria are endemic. Patients and methods: This was a historical cohort study of patients receiving polymyxins to treat VAP in ICUs at a public university hospital in southern Brazil between January 1, 2017 and January 31, 2018. Results: During the study period, 179 cases of VAP were treated with polymyxins. Of the 179 patients, 158 (88.3%) were classified as having chronic critical illness. Death occurred in 145 cases (81.0%). Multivariate analysis showed that the factors independently associated with mortality were the presence of comorbidities (P<0.001) and the SOFA score of the day of polymyxin prescription (P<0.001). Being a burn patient was a protective factor for mortality (P<0.001). Analysis of the 14-day survival probability showed that mortality was higher among the patients who had sepsis or septic shock at the time of polymyxin prescription (P = 0.028 and P<0.001, respectively). Acinetobacter baumannii was identified as the etiological agent of VAP in 121 cases (67.6%). In our cohort, polymyxin consumption and the incidence density of VAP were quite high. Conclusions: In our study, comprised primarily of chronically critically ill patients, there was a high prevalence of VAP caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria, consistent with healthcare-associated infections in low- and middle-income countries. Presence of comorbidities and the SOFA score at the time of polymyxin prescription were predictors of mortality in this cohort. Despite aggressive antimicrobial treatment, mortality was high, stressing the need for antibiotic stewardship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: to verify the impact of the bundles and the interprofessional learning for the prevention of mechanical ventilation-associated pneumonia of an intensive care unit (ICU). Method: This was a quasi-experimental study performed in an ICU of a public hospital in Diamantina, Minas Gerais. Were included in this study 56 professionals who provided direct assistance to patients in mechanical ventilation. The data collection took place in three phases: pre-intervention, which consisted of direct observation and interview; intervention, in which training was performed through clinical simulations; and post-intervention, in which the impact of the strategies implemented through direct observation, was evaluated. Differences between pre and post groups were assessed using McNemar's test. An alpha level of 0.05 set a priori was used, and a Bonferroni correction determined statistical significance for the case of multiple comparisons. Results: After the intervention, there was increased adherence to endotracheal cuff pressure (8.10%), daily interruption of sedation (16.67%) and subglottic aspiration (18.75%). It was significant (p < 0,0083) in the associations between the professional category versus non-aspiration, bed head positioning, oral hygiene frequency and the type of hand hygiene after intervention. Conclusions: There is still a gap to be detected in the bundle implementation and the positive impact generated by the inter-professional knowledge, mainly because it is not immediate but in the long term to obtain the desired feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: to verify the impact of the bundles and the interprofessional learning for the prevention of mechanical ventilation-associated pneumonia of an intensive care unit (ICU). Method: This was a quasi-experimental study performed in an ICU of a public hospital in Diamantina, Minas Gerais. Were included in this study 56 professionals who provided direct assistance to patients in mechanical ventilation. The data collection took place in three phases: pre-intervention, which consisted of direct observation and interview; intervention, in which training was performed through clinical simulations; and post-intervention, in which the impact of the strategies implemented through direct observation, was evaluated. Differences between pre and post groups were assessed using McNemar's test. An alpha level of 0.05 set a priori was used, and a Bonferroni correction determined statistical significance for the case of multiple comparisons. Results: After the intervention, there was increased adherence to endotracheal cuff pressure (8.10%), daily interruption of sedation (16.67%) and subglottic aspiration (18.75%). It was significant (p < 0,0083) in the associations between the professional category versus non-aspiration, bed head positioning, oral hygiene frequency and the type of hand hygiene after intervention. Conclusions: There is still a gap to be detected in the bundle implementation and the positive impact generated by the inter-professional knowledge, mainly because it is not immediate but in the long term to obtain the desired feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Paulista de Enfermagem is the property of Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Escola Paulista de Enfermagem and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Enfermagem Brasil is the property of Atlantica Editora and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: In intensive care units (ICUs), nosocomial infections are prevalent conditions and they have been related to high mortality indexes. Some studies have suggested that inefficient oral hygiene and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) are related. Nowadays, in the Brazilian public health system there is no well-defined protocol for oral hygiene in an ICU. Due to the drawbacks of the use of antibiotics, photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as an interesting technique in order to reduce antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. Methylene blue (MB) is the most common chemical agent for PDT in Brazil. However, new formulations for improved effectiveness are still lacking. The objective of this study is to evaluate the use of an MB mouthwash as an effective oral-hygiene procedure in an ICU and to show that oral hygiene using PDT with MB mouthwash may reduce VAP frequency to rates similar to, or higher than, chlorhexidine.Methods: Phase 1 will evaluate the most effective cleaning procedure, while phase 2 will correlate oral hygiene to VAP incidence. At the start of phase 1, the ICU patients will be randomly allocated into three different groups (10 patients/group): the efficacy of chlorhexidine, classical MB-PDT, and mouthwash MB-PDT will all be measured for the quantification of viable bacteria, both pre- and post-treatment, by a Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). In phase 2, the most effective procedure found in phase 1 and a mechanical cleaning with filtered water will be carried out daily, once a day, over 5 days, with a total of 52 ICU patients randomly allocated into the two groups. The clinical records will be evaluated in order to find any pneumonic diagnoses.Discussion: Since a variety of bacterial species are related to VAP, a universal primer for bacteria will be used in order to quantify the total bacteria count in the participants' samples. In order to quantify only the living bacteria before DNA extraction, the samples will be treated with propidium monoazide. This will infiltrate the dead bacteria and will intercalate the DNA bases, avoiding their DNA amplification. This will be the first trial to evaluate MB-PDT in a mouthwash formula that can increase the effectiveness due to the control of MB aggregation. The results of this study will be able to generate an easy and low-cost protocol to be used in an ICU for the Brazilian public health system.Trial Registration: This protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Conjunto Hospitalar do Mandaqui (1.317.834, CAAE: 49273515.9.3001.5551) and it was registered in Registro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clínicos (ReBEC number: RBR-94bvrc;). First received: 12 July 2015; 1st version 6 June 2016. Data will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nosocomial pneumonia has correlated to dental plaque and to oropharynx colonization in patients receiving mechanical ventilation. The interruption of this process, by preventing colonization of pathogenic bacteria, represents a potential procedure for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).Methods: The study design was a prospective, randomized trial to verify if oral hygiene through toothbrushing plus chlorhexidine in gel at 0.12% reduces the incidence of ventilatior-associated pneumonia, the duration of mechanical ventilation, the length of hospital stay and the mortality rate in ICUs, when compared to oral hygiene only with chlorhexidine, solution of 0.12%, without toothbrushing, in adult individuals under mechanical ventilation, hospitalized in Clinical/Surgical and Cardiology Intensive Care Units (ICU). The study protocol was approved by the Ethical Committee of Research of the Health Sciences Center of the Federal University of Pernambuco - Certificate of Ethical Committee Approval (CAAE) 04300012500005208. Because it was a randomized trial, the research used CONSORT 2010 checklist criteria.Results: Seven hundred sixteen patients were admitted into the ICU; 219 fulfilled the criteria for inclusion and 213 patients were included; 108 were randomized to control group and 105 to intervention group. Toothbrushing plus 0.12% chlorhexidine gel demonstrated a lower incidence of VAP throughout the follow up period, although the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.084). There was a significant reduction of the mean time of mechanical ventilation in the toothbrushing group (p = 0.018). Regarding the length of hospital stay in the ICU and mortality rates, the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.064).Conclusions: The results obtained showed that, among patients undergoing toothbrushing there was a significant reduction in duration of mechanical ventilation, and a tendency to reduce the incidence of VAP and length of ICU stay, although without statistical significance.Trial Registration: Retrospectively registered in the Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (Registro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clínicos) - RBR-4TWH4M (4 September 2016). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance: The effectiveness of checklists, daily goal assessments, and clinician prompts as quality improvement interventions in intensive care units (ICUs) is uncertain.Objective: To determine whether a multifaceted quality improvement intervention reduces the mortality of critically ill adults.Design, Setting, and Participants: This study had 2 phases. Phase 1 was an observational study to assess baseline data on work climate, care processes, and clinical outcomes, conducted between August 2013 and March 2014 in 118 Brazilian ICUs. Phase 2 was a cluster randomized trial conducted between April and November 2014 with the same ICUs. The first 60 admissions of longer than 48 hours per ICU were enrolled in each phase.Interventions: Intensive care units were randomized to a quality improvement intervention, including a daily checklist and goal setting during multidisciplinary rounds with follow-up clinician prompting for 11 care processes, or to routine care.Main Outcomes and Measures: In-hospital mortality truncated at 60 days (primary outcome) was analyzed using a random-effects logistic regression model, adjusted for patients' severity and the ICU's baseline standardized mortality ratio. Exploratory secondary outcomes included adherence to care processes, safety climate, and clinical events.Results: A total of 6877 patients (mean age, 59.7 years; 3218 [46.8%] women) were enrolled in the baseline (observational) phase and 6761 (mean age, 59.6 years; 3098 [45.8%] women) in the randomized phase, with 3327 patients enrolled in ICUs (n = 59) assigned to the intervention group and 3434 patients in ICUs (n = 59) assigned to routine care. There was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between the intervention group and the usual care group, with 1096 deaths (32.9%) and 1196 deaths (34.8%), respectively (odds ratio, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.82-1.26; P = .88). Among 20 prespecified secondary outcomes not adjusted for multiple comparisons, 6 were significantly improved in the intervention group (use of low tidal volumes, avoidance of heavy sedation, use of central venous catheters, use of urinary catheters, perception of team work, and perception of patient safety climate), whereas there were no significant differences between the intervention group and the control group for 14 outcomes (ICU mortality, central line-associated bloodstream infection, ventilator-associated pneumonia, urinary tract infection, mean ventilator-free days, mean ICU length of stay, mean hospital length of stay, bed elevation to ≥30°, venous thromboembolism prophylaxis, diet administration, job satisfaction, stress reduction, perception of management, and perception of working conditions).Conclusions and Relevance: Among critically ill patients treated in ICUs in Brazil, implementation of a multifaceted quality improvement intervention with daily checklists, goal setting, and clinician prompting did not reduce in-hospital mortality.Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01785966. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Gram stain can be used to direct initial empiric antimicrobial therapy when complete culture is not available. This rapid test could prevent the initiation of inappropriate therapy and adverse outcomes. However, several studies have attempted to determine the value of the Gram stain in the diagnosis and therapy of bacterial infection in different populations of patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) with conflicting results. The objective of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of the Gram stain in predicting the existence of Staphylococcus aureus infections from cultures of patients suspected of having VAP. Methods: This prospective single-center open cohort study enrolled 399 patients from December 2005 to December 2010. Patients suspected of having VAP by ATS IDSA criteria were included. Respiratory secretion samples were collected by tracheal aspirate (TA) for standard bacterioscopic analysis by Gram stain and culture. Results: Respiratory secretion samples collected by tracheal aspirates of 392 patients were analyzed by Gram stain and culture. When Gram-positive cocci were arranged in clusters, the sensitivity was 68.4%, specificity 97.8%, positive predictive value 88.1% and negative predictive value 92.8% for predicting the presence of Staphylococcus aureus in culture (p < 0.001). Conclusions: A tracheal aspirate Gram stain can be used to rule out the presence of Staphylococcus aureus in patients with a clinical diagnosis of VAP with a 92.8% Negative Predictive Value. Therefore, 7.2% of patients with Staphylococcus aureus would not be protected by an empiric treatment that limits antimicrobial coverage to Staphylococcus aureus only when Gram positive cocci in clusters are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study was designed to compare the efficacy of polymyxin B with other antimicrobials in the treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and tracheobronchitis (VAT) by Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Acinetobacter baumannii. Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed. Patients >18 years of age with the diagnosis of VAP or VAT who received appropriate therapy for >48 h were analyzed. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Clinical covariates were assessed and compared between the groups. Results: A total of 67 episodes were analyzed: 45 (67 %) treated with polymyxin B and 22 (33 %) with comparators. The crude 30-day mortality was 53 % (24 of 45) in the polymyxin B group and 27 % (6 of 22) in the comparator group ( P = 0.08). Multivariable analysis using Cox regression models indicated that polymyxin B treatment was independently associated with increased mortality. Conclusions: Polymyxin B treatment in the currently recommended dosage may be inferior to other drugs in the treatment of VAP and VAT caused by organisms tested as susceptible in vitro to this agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Texto & Contexto Enfermagem is the property of Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Programa de Pos-Graduacao de Enfermagem and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Infection control interventions can be erroneously interpreted if outcomes are assessed in short periods. Also, statistical methods usually applied to compare outcomes before and after interventions are not appropriate for analyzing time series., Aims: To analyze the impact of a bundle directed at reducing the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and other device-associated infections in two medical-surgical intensive care units (ICU) in Brazil., Methods: Our study had a quasi-experimental design. Interrupted time series analyses (ITS) was performed assessing monthly rates of overall healthcare-associated infections (HCAI), VAP, laboratory-confirmed central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), from January 2007 through June 2019. Moreover, multivariate ITS was adjusted for seasonality in Poisson regression models. An intervention based on a bundle for VAP prevention was introduced in August 2010., Findings: The intervention was followed by sustained reduction in overall HCAI, VAP and CLABSI in both ICU. Continuous post-intervention trends towards reduction were detected for overall HCAI and VAP., Conclusion: Interventions aimed at preventing one specific site of infection may have sustained impact on other HCAI, which can be documented using time series analyses., (Copyright © 2020 Sociedade Brasileira de Infectologia. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background The epidemiological scenario of multidrug-resistant bacteria has brought polymyxins back to medical prescriptions, as they are last-line therapy against carbapenem-resistant bacteria. There is a lack of knowledge of which is the best way to use this drug, especially in critically ill patients. We aimed to evaluate polymyxin use in an intensive care unit (ICU) in a university hospital and to describe its epidemiological characteristics. Methods This historical cohort included all consecutive patients who used polymyxins to treat ventilator-associated pneumonia from January 1, 2017 to January 31, 2018, during hospitalization in an ICU from a public university hospital, endemic for carbapenem-resistant bacteria, in Londrina, Brazil. Microbiological processing for diagnosis followed the guidelines from the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Statistical analyses were performed using MedCalc for Windows, version 18.9 (MedCalc Software, Ostend, Belgium) and significance level adopted was 0.05. Results There were 179 patients; median of age was 57 years (IQR: 40.0 - 70.75). Polymyxin B was the most prescribed polymyxin (97.2%). Most of the patients had comorbidities (72.6%). Age was higher in the group of patients who died (60.0 vs. 36.5 years, P < 0.0001). Comorbidities prevalence was higher in non-survivors (80.7% vs. 38.2%, P < 0.0001). Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score on polymyxin prescribing day was higher in non-survivors (8.0 vs. 7.0, P = 0.0093), as well as Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 (SAPS 3) score (70.7 vs. 59.35, P = 0.0003). Thirty-day mortality was 43%. Analysis of 14-day survival showed a higher mortality for patients who had sepsis (Log-rank test, P = 0.0284) and septic shock (Log-rank test, P = 0.0065). Acinetobacter baumannii was the most common etiologic agent, in 125 samples (73.9%), with 97.6% of resistance to carbapenem and 5.6% of resistance to polymyxins. Conclusion Polymyxin B was the most prescribed polymyxin. Age was higher in non-survivors, as well as comorbidities prevalence, SOFA and SAPS 3 scores. Patients with sepsis and septic shock showed a 14-day higher mortality. Acinetobacter baumannii was the most isolated agent. Carbapenem resistance was high. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of the study was to reduce the ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) incidence rates through a rational prevention program., Design: The study was a non-controlled clinical trial with a set of interventions in mechanically ventilated patients from April 2006 until June 2008. Pneumonia rates were analyzed as time series and their mean risks of development were compared before and after the interventions with a non-concurrent cohort using the same time frame (January 2004-March 2006)., Setting: The study was conducted in a 14-bed medical intensive care unit of private general hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil., Participants: The study included invasively ventilated patients (n = 224; intervention group) compared with 294 controls (historical cohort)., Interventions: An educational module about VAP prevention was introduced at the start of the trial (April 2006). A bundle checklist was used daily concomitantly with a standardized oral care in all patients afterwards. Main outcome measure The main outcome measure was reduction in VAP incidence rates., Results: The observed mean rate before the intervention was 18.6 ± 7.8/1000 ventilator-days (95% CI 8.7-14.9), decreasing to 11.8 ± 7.8/1000 ventilator-days (95% CI 15.5-21.7) (P = 0.002) after the interventions. Under the adoption of non-informative prior distributions for the parameters of the proposed statistical model, there was a 70% posterior probability in favor of the hypothesis of risk reduction associated with the interventions, regardless their seasonality or secular trends. There was a 38% relative risk reduction., Conclusions: A reduction in VAP rates and on their risk after a set of preventive tools was observed. However, some other co-interventions not related to the primary interventions may have contributed to these results.