ABSTRACT
ICU-acquired infection is estimated to be 5-10 times more common than infections in general wards (1-5), more expensive, and more often associated with resistant micro-organisms. The commonest nosocomial infection in ICU patients is ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), which increases both length of stay and mortality. The risk of developing VAP has been estimated at 1% per day of intubation and mechanical ventilation, with higher rates in patients with ARDS. Recently reported data reveal that VAP rates are lowest in pediatric and respiratory ICUs and highest in trauma and burn units (6). Table 1 is obtained from HELICS (7) and we see differences in VAP rates published in the literature, with a median rate in medical ICUs of 7.3 VAP per 1000 patient-days (8-11).
