Exploratory Analysis of Pulmonary Microbiome in Intubated Patients

The microbiome is defined as a community of microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses) that inhabit a particular organ. This prospective, multicentric, observational study investigates the bacterial changes that occur in the pulmonary microbiome during the first 72 hours of mechanical ventilation in patients who have been intubated for non-pulmonary conditions in intensive care units (ICU).

To this aim, genetic analyses will be performed on bronchial aspirate samples that will be collected from patients during their staying in ICU. Demographic and clinical information will be retrieved from patients' clinical reports and recorded in an apposite clinical report forms (CRF) in anonymized way. In particular, the reason for the admission to ICU, absence fo concomitant pulmonary diseases, comorbidities, body mass index, hematological examination results, concomitant therapies, antibiotic therapy performed in the 30 days prior to the admission, ventilation associated pneumonia (VAP)-preventing procedures, complications during mechanical ventilation, length of mechanical ventilation will be recorded in the CRF.

The study will last 24 months.

Inclusion criteria

• patients undergo mechanical ventilation for non-pulmonary conditions (i.e. neurological condition)
• patients who are expected to need mechanical ventilation for >48 hours

Exclusion criteria

• diagnosis at the ICU admission of pneumonia
• need of mechanical ventilation for pulmonary conditions.