The Current Epidemiological Landscape of Ventilator-associated Pneumonia in the Intensive Care Unit: A Multicenter Prospective Observational Study in China

Background. Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is among the most important hospital-acquired infections in the intensive-care unit setting. However, clinical data regarding the epidemiology of VAP in China are limited. Methods. A multicenter, longitudinal, observational study was performed from March 2013 to December 2015 to prospectively collect data on patients diagnosed with VAP. Specifically, patients supported by invasive mechanical ventilation for longer than 48 hours were included. Clinical data were recorded for each VAP patient. The exact pathogen distribution and the incidence of VAP were calculated. Risk factors associated with mortality were analyzed using univariate and multivariate regression analyses. Results. A total of 2492 patients received mechanical ventilation for longer than 48 hours and were enrolled in the study. A total of 129 (5.0%) patients fulfilled the VAP criteria, and 38 (29.5%) patients were diagnosed with early-onset VAP. The incidence of VAP was 4.5 per 1000 ventilation days, with a 28-day mortality rate of 45%. Individual pathogens, including 115 bacteria and 2 fungi, were identified in 117 (90.7%) enrollees, and 87 (75.7%) bacteria were multidrug-resistant organisms. Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most commonly detected pathogens causing VAP. No difference in the distribution of pathogens was observed between early-and late-onset VAP or between surviving and non-surviving patients. Multivariate regression revealed that older ages and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Scores were correlated with increased 28-day mortality rates. Conclusions. High pathogen resistance and mortality were found in both early- and late-onset VAP.