ERJ
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Eur Respir J 2005; 26:106-111
Copyright ©ERS Journals Ltd 2005
doi: 10.1183/09031936.05.00096104

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Permissions
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Web of Science (7)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Kostadima, E.
Right arrow Articles by Sfyras, D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Kostadima, E.
Right arrow Articles by Sfyras, D.

Early gastrostomy reduces the rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia in stroke or head injury patients

E. Kostadima1, A. G. Kaditis2, E. I. Alexopoulos2, E. Zakynthinos1 and D. Sfyras1

1 Dept of Critical Care Medicine, and 2 Dept of Pediatrics (Pediatric Pulmonology Unit), University of Thessaly School of Medicine and Larissa University Hospital, Larissa, Greece.

CORRESPONDENCE: E. Kostadima, Larissa University Hospital, Dept of Critical Care Medicine, P.O. Box 1425, Larissa 41110, Greece. Fax: 30 2410670838. E-mail: elenikostadima@yahoo.gr

Keywords: Mechanical ventilation, nosocomial pneumonia

Received: August 17, 2004
Accepted March 14, 2005

Presence of a nasogastric tube is a risk factor for the development of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Alternatively, gastrostomy can be used for administration of enteral feedings.

To determine whether early performance of gastrostomy affects frequency of VAP, a randomised, controlled study was carried out in patients mechanically ventilated for stroke or head injury. In the gastrostomy group, patients underwent the procedure within 24 h of intubation. A nasogastric tube was inserted in controls. Individual subjects were studied for 3 weeks.

In total, 20 subjects (mean age 48±15.2 yrs) were allocated to the gastrostomy group, and 21 to the control group (46.6±15.4 yrs). Of these groups, two (10%) and eight (38.1%) developed VAP, respectively. Four patients with gastrostomy and three controls did not complete the study (due to weaning from ventilatory support or death). After excluding these subjects, difference in VAP frequency persisted: two out of 16 subjects with gastrostomy had VAP (12.5%) versus eight out of 18 controls (44.4%). There were no differences in duration of hospitalisation or mortality between the two groups.

In conclusion, in patients mechanically ventilated for stroke or head injury early gastrostomy is associated with a lower frequency of ventilator-associated pneumonia compared with a nasogastric tube.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 ChestHome page
D. E. Craven
Preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia in adults: sowing seeds of change.
Chest, July 1, 2006; 130(1): 251 - 260.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Eur Respir JHome page
S. Teramoto, T. Ishii, H. Yamamoto, Y. Yamaguchi, and Y. Ouchi
Nasogastric tube feeding is a cause of aspiration pneumonia in ventilated patients
Eur. Respir. J., February 1, 2006; 27(2): 436 - 437.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Eur Respir JHome page
E. Kostadima, A. Kaditis, E. Alexopoulos, E. Zakynthinos, and D. Sfyras
From the authors
Eur. Respir. J., February 1, 2006; 27(2): 437 - 438.
[Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2005 by the European Respiratory Society.