Clinical Trial Details
— Status: Completed
Administrative data
NCT number |
NCT01994980 |
Other study ID # |
13-0205 |
Secondary ID |
|
Status |
Completed |
Phase |
N/A
|
First received |
|
Last updated |
|
Start date |
December 2013 |
Est. completion date |
November 5, 2021 |
Study information
Verified date |
December 2022 |
Source |
Denver Health and Hospital Authority |
Contact |
n/a |
Is FDA regulated |
No |
Health authority |
|
Study type |
Interventional
|
Clinical Trial Summary
Hypothesis: 4 days of antibiotic therapy, as compared to 8 days, is equally effective and
results in decreased antibiotic exposure among surgical ICU patients with early VAP.
Description:
The prevalence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogens in intensive care units (ICUs)
worldwide has reached epidemic proportions. In some cases, the choice of potential therapy is
limited or even non-existent. Antibiotic prescription, through selection pressure, represents
the main mechanism by which resistance emerges. Limitations in the development of new
antibiotics underscores the importance of adherence to the principles of antibiotic
stewardship.
Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most common serious infection in mechanically
ventilated, critically ill patients. Approximately one half of antibiotic prescription in the
ICU is related to VAP, including prophylactic, empiric, and definitive therapy. The
development of evidence-based algorithms for the rational use of antibiotics in the
management of patients with both suspected and confirmed VAP is pivotal to decreasing the
emergence of MDR pathogens.
Shortening the duration of antimicrobial therapy for VAP represents one strategy to curtail
the emergence of MDR pathogens. Although current guidelines recommend a treatment course of
8-14 days, both clinical and microbiologic resolution (MR) of infection typically occur much
sooner [10, 11]. In one study of ICU patients ventilated for > 5 days who developed VAP, 8
days of antimicrobial therapy was equally as effective as 14 days, provided VAP was not
caused by a non-lactose fermenting gram negative bacillus. Favorable results following
shorter courses of therapy for VAP have been observed, albeit in small, uncontrolled series.
One subset of patients for whom a decreased duration of antimicrobial therapy may be
particularly effective is those who develop VAP ≤ 5 days after intubation (early VAP). Early
VAP comprises approximately one half of cases of pneumonia diagnosed in the ICU. Furthermore,
as compared to patients who develop late VAP, patients who develop early VAP are more likely
to be infected with community-acquired pathogens sensitive to narrow spectrum antibiotics.
Finally, nearly all cases of early VAP caused by sensitive pathogens demonstrate MR after
relatively short (3-5 days) courses of therapy.