Prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia: the multimodal approach of the Spanish ICU "Pneumonia Zero" program

Álvarez Lerma, Francisco; Palomar Martínez, Mercedes; Sánchez García, Miguel; Martínez-Alonso, Montserrat; Álvarez Rodríguez, Joaquín; Lorente, Leonardo; Arias-Rivera, Susana; García, Rosa; Gordo, Federico; Añón, José M.; Jam-Gatell, Rosa; Vázquez-Calatayud, Mónica; Agra Varela, Yolanda

doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/CCM.0000000000002736

Prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia: the multimodal approach of the Spanish ICU "Pneumonia Zero" program

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Álvarez-Lerma F, Palomar-Martínez M, Sánchez-García M, Martínez-Alonso M, Álvarez-Rodríguez J, Lorente L. et al. Prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia: the multimodal approach of the Spanish ICU "Pneumonia Zero" program. Crit Care Med. 2018 Feb;46(2):181-188. DOI: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000002736

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The "Pneumonia Zero" project is a nationwide multimodal intervention based on the simultaneous implementation of a comprehensive evidence-based bundle measures to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia in critically ill patients admitted to the ICU. DESIGN: Prospective, interventional, and multicenter study. SETTING: A total of 181 ICUs throughout Spain. PATIENTS: All patients admitted for more than 24 hours to the participating ICUs between April 1, 2011, and December 31, 2012. INTERVENTION: Ten ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention measures were implemented (seven were mandatory and three highly recommended). The database of the National ICU-Acquired Infections Surveillance Study (Estudio Nacional de Vigilancia de Infecciones Nosocomiales [ENVIN]) was used for data collection. Ventilator-associated pneumonia rate was expressed as incidence density per 1,000 ventilator days. Ventilator-associated pneumonia rates from the incorporation of the ICUs to the project, every 3 months, were compared with data of the ENVIN registry (April-June 2010) as the baseline period. Ventilator-associated pneumonia rates were adjusted by characteristics of the hospital, including size, type (public or private), and teaching (postgraduate) or university-affiliated (undergraduate) status. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The 181 participating ICUs accounted for 75% of all ICUs in Spain. In a total of 171,237 ICU admissions, an artificial airway was present on 505,802 days (50.0% of days of stay in the ICU). A total of 3,474 ventilator-associated pneumonia episodes were diagnosed in 3,186 patients. The adjusted ventilator-associated pneumonia incidence density rate decreased from 9.83 (95% CI, 8.42-11.48) per 1,000 ventilator days in the baseline period to 4.34 (95% CI, 3.22-5.84) after 19-21 months of participation. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of the bundle measures included in the "Pneumonia Zero" project resulted in a significant reduction of more than 50% of the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in Spanish ICUs. This reduction was sustained 21 months after implementation.