ACTA FAC MED NAISS 2021;38(4):371-379

Evaluation of Pneumonia due to Mechanical Ventilation and its Association
with the Severity of Disease in Patients Admitted to Intensive Care Unit

Atefe Farivar¹, Akram Sanagoo¹, Leila Jouybari², Mohammad Ali Vakili³,
Shahram Moghaddam⁴, Hossein Rahmania Aanraki

¹School of Nursing and Midwifery, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
²Nursing Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
³Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Health, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.
⁴Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
⁵Medical Surgical Department, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran

 SUMMARY

                 Among the hospital-acquired infections, ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) has the highest mortality and morbidity rates. The aim of this study was to identify VAP in the intensive care unit (ICU) and its association with the severity of the disease.

                This descriptive-analytic study was conducted in Golestan University of Medical Sciences (Northern Iran). In the present study, 239 patients undergoing mechanical ventilation hospitalized in ICU were selected through non-random sampling. Data were recorded by using APACHE II criteria and diagnosis of VAP was made based on clinical criterion and physician confirmation. Data were analyzed by independent t-test, Chi-square test, Mann- Whitney test, and single-variable logistic test.

                The incidence of VAP was 19.2% and it was significantly related to mean arterial pressure (P = 0.035) and male sex (P = 0.122). There was a significant and direct correlation between the incidence of VAP and the increase in the value of gastric residual volume > 200 ml (P = 0.001).

The findings of this study showed that male sex, increased arterial pressure, and gastric residual volume were the risk factors for the development of of VAP.