ICU patients with signs of aspiration on imaging and a clinical history supportive of aspiration, but with no clear signs of infectious pneumonia, will be randomized to receive either 5 days of empiric antibiotics or supportive care only. They will be followed for 30 days with a primary outcome of ICU length-of-stay and various secondary outcomes including mortality, ventilator days, and antibiotic days.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the use of early antibiotics in ICU patients who appear to have aspirated, to help determine whether this improves outcomes by reducing the later incidence of pneumonia and other negative consequences.