Ventilator acquired pneumonia (VAP) is the leading cause of nosocomial infection in intensive care patients, and has been associated with increased antibiotic consumption, increased morbidity and mortality. VAP diagnosis is difficult due to subjective or non-specific criteria. Delaying antibiotic treatment for VAP suspicion without severity symptoms raises question since the probability of VAP diagnosis, as well as the risk of delaying treatment, is very uncertain. It may nonetheless limit the environmental impact of antibiotic use which is a public health concern. We compared antibiotic sparing and patient outcome, before and after the implementation of a restrictive (delayed) antibiotic strategy versus an aggressive (immediate) antibiotic strategy in VAP suspicion without severity symptoms.
This retro-prospective monocentric observational study compare the impact of the implementation of a restrictive (delayed) versus aggressive (immediate) antibiotic strategy for Ventilator Acquired Pneumonia suspicion without severity symptoms.