Clinical, microbiological and treatment characteristics of severe postoperative respiratory infections: An observational cohort study

Benítez-Cano, Adela; Bermejo Martínez, Silvia; Luque Pardos, Sònia; Sorli Redó, M. Luisa; Carazo Cordobés, Jesús; Zaragoza, Irene; Ramos, Isabel; Vallès, Jordi; Horcajada Gallego, Juan Pablo; Adalia Bartolomé, Ramón

doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jpm13101482

Clinical, microbiological and treatment characteristics of severe postoperative respiratory infections: An observational cohort study

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Benítez-Cano A, Bermejo S, Luque S, Sorlí L, Carazo J, Zaragoza I, et al. Clinical, microbiological and treatment characteristics of severe postoperative respiratory infections: An observational cohort study. J Pers Med. 2023 Oct 11;13(10):1482. DOI: 10.3390/jpm13101482

Abstract

Respiratory infections are frequent and life-threatening complications of surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical, microbiological and treatment characteristics of severe postoperative pneumonia (POP) and tracheobronchitis (POT) in a large series of patients. This single-center, prospective observational cohort study included patients with POP or POT requiring intensive care unit admission in the past 10 years. We recorded demographic, clinical, microbiological and therapeutic data. A total of 207 patients were included, and 152 (73%) were men. The mean (SD) age was 70 (13) years and the mean (SD) ARISCAT score was 46 (19). Ventilator-associated pneumonia was reported in 21 patients (10%), hospital-acquired pneumonia was reported in 132 (64%) and tracheobronchitis was reported in 54 (26%). The mean (SD) number of days from surgery to POP/POT diagnosis was 6 (4). The mean (SD) SOFA score was 5 (3). Respiratory microbiological sampling was performed in 201 patients (97%). A total of 177 organisms were cultured in 130 (63%) patients, with a high proportion of Gram-negative and multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria (20%). The most common empirical antibiotic therapy was a triple-drug regimen covering MDR Gram-negative bacteria and MRSA. In conclusion, surgical patients are a high-risk population with a high proportion of early onset severe POP/POT and nosocomial bacteria isolation.