Risk factors for ventilator associated pneumonia in tertiary care hospitals

Abstract

Introduction. In El Salvador ventilator associated pneumonia is the third most frequent health care associated infection, it has a high impact because it raises attention costs. Objective. Analize the risk factor for the development of ventilator associated pneumonia in tertiary care hospitals in El Salvador during 2022. Methodology. It was a case-control study, we calculated the sample with a 95 % confidence level, 80 % statistical power, Odds ratio (OR) of 2.5 and a 3 controls per case ratio. Cases were ventilated patients diagnosed with pneumonia between January and December 2022 who have a confirmed microbiological isolation in a respiratory sample, Controls were patients without pneumonia for at least 72 hours after extubation, the information was obtain from the clinical files. We used a logistic regression model to determine risk factors. Results. We reviewed 206 clinical files, 52 cases and 154 controls, the most frequent sign of infection was leukocytosis, it was present in 78.6 % of cases. The most isolated pathogen was Acinetobacter baumannii, reported in 27.8 % of cultures. Male sex (OR: 4.94 CI95 %:1.56-15.66), history of trauma (OR:10.52 CI95 %: 2.73-40.59) and intubation days (OR: 1.24; CI95 %: 1.14-1.36) were statistically significant independent risk factors. Conclusion. Male gender, history of trauma and intubation days were risk factors for ventilator associated pneumonia in tertiary care hospitals from El Salvador during 2022.