Delayed Antibiotic Therapy in Non-severe Ventilator Acquired Pneumonia (VAP)

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.

Inclusion criteria

• Under mechanical ventilation from more than 48 hours
• Suspected for a ventilator acquired pneumonia, requiring a distal pulmonary bacterial sample

Exclusion criteria

• New or worsening shock requiring vasopressor
• New or worsening severe hypoxemia (PaO2/FiO2<150 in FiO2≥60% and peep 10)
• Patient under veno-veinous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
• Neutropenia <1G/L or immunosuppressive treatment (including corticosteroids >6 months or >0.5mg/kg/j)
• Disease (endocarditis, spondylodyscitis, deep abcedation…) requiring prolonged antibiotic therapy