Antimicrobial prescription patterns and ventilator associated pneumonia: findings from a 10-site prospective audit

Table 2 Summary of audit findings

Characteristic
Patient demographics (n = 169)
Age (median—years)	59
Sex—male (%)	65
APACHE II (mean)	20.6
Mechanical ventilation (median [IQR]—days)	7 [5–12]
Length of stay (median—days)
ICU	11
Hospital	30

	n/patient days	Antimicrobial prescribed^b n/patient days
VAP identified^a
Screening checklist	29/40	24 (83%)/34
Independent physician diagnosis	29/67	27 (93%)/60
Sputum findings
Colonisation	31/41	36/41 (88%)
Infection^c	51/94	64/94 (68%)
Screening checklist	13/13
Independent physician diagnosis	9/10

Antimicrobial prescriptions	%
Antibiotic	90
Antifungal	6
Indication for prescription (%)	80
Clinically-diagnosed lung infection	54
Prophylaxis	11
Bloodstream infection	9

^aPredominantly different sets of patients; five patients were classified with VAP using both methods
^bAll patients classified with VAP using both methods received antimicrobials
^cMost frequently identified microbes: ‘Other Gram negatives’ and candida; ‘Pseudomonas sp.’; ‘Coagulase-negative staphylococcus’

ISSN: 1756-0500